“They were obviously disappointed,” Grant said Thursday in a phone interview, “but I don’t think it was a surprise. They pay attention. Obviously, when you look around the country and you see everything going on, you know there was going to be some type of impact at some point. Once we found out and shared the news with them, we just kind of moved on to getting ready for Sunday.”
St. Bonaventure’s A-10 opener Thursday at George Washington was also postponed. The Colonials continue to have COVID-19 issues, and that’s why their second A-10 game against Saint Joseph’s was postponed. GW hasn’t played since Dec. 13. The Bonnies haven’t played since Dec. 17.
After playing St. Bonaventure, Dayton is scheduled to play at home against VCU (7-4) at 7 p.m. Wednesday. That game could now be VCU’s A-10 opener. VCU has had four straight games cancelled or postponed because of its COVID-19 issues. It hasn’t played since Dec. 15.
Dayton’s third A-10 game is scheduled to be at George Washington on Jan. 8. That could be GW’s first A-10 game if it doesn’t play Wednesday at Duquesne.
In short, the season has again become a mess. COVID-19 caused numerous cancellations, postponements and last-minute schedule changes a year ago, and it’s wreaking havoc this season.
For now, Dayton Athletic Director Neil Sullivan and Anthony Grant want to keep the schedule as normal as possible. That’s why they didn’t try to find a last-minute replacement Thursday by trying to play another non-conference game, for example. George Mason, which had its A-10 opener against VCU postponed, scheduled a game at Kansas on Saturday.
“I think the more normal we can stay, the better,” Grant said. “Some of it’s out of our control. We’ll see what happens. Hopefully, there’s minor, if any disruptions, going forward, but you can’t just predict it.”
Grant, on Thursday, was also asked for the first time about freshman guard Lynn Greer III’s decision to transfer to Saint Joseph’s. Greer III entered the transfer portal Sunday, and news of his move to another A-10 team broke Tuesday.
Saint Joseph’s has not officially announced the addition of Greer III, but he is no longer on Dayton’s roster on the school’s website.
“That was a decision between Lynn and his family that they thought was in his best interest,” Grant said, “and as a coach, you have to support the student-athletes in terms of what they think is best for them. We wish him all the best, and we’re moving forward with our group.”
The departure of Greer III opens a scholarship in the 2022-23 season for Enkhiin-Od Michael Sharavjamts, a 6-8 point guard from Mongolia who’s a senior at the International Sports Academy in Willoughby, Ohio. Grant can’t comment on Sharvjamts until he officially signs, but he was asked about how the transfer market has changed his approach to recruiting.
“We really haven’t (changed),” Grant said. “It’s a case-by-case, individual basis. I think we we try to understand who we are in terms of a program and what our university’s all about. If you look at the track record, Dayton’s had a pretty fair amount of success in terms of retention and in terms of adding pieces that that make sense. We’re going to continue to try to make sure we do what’s best for Dayton moving forward.”
SUNDAY’S GAME
St. Bonaventure at Dayton, Noon, CBS Sports Network, 1290, 95.7
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