By PAUL GOTHAM
Ryan Mikesell‘s increased playing time might not have been the original plan, but the Dayton sophomore is making good on the opportunity.
Getting more than three times the run he did a season ago, Mikesell has found a role in Archie Miller‘s game plan.
“He makes basketball plays for us,” Miller said during the weekly Atlantic 10 tele-conference. “Whether it’s cutting. Whether it’s a loose-ball tap-ins, add in the fact offensively he can do a couple things passing the ball. He thinks the game…Whenever he’s out there he makes plays for other people.”
With 12 points and 11 rebounds, Mikesell recorded his first double-double on December 21st against Vanderbilt. He has topped double figures in three of UD’s last five contests including a season-high 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting last week against St. Bonaventure.
“The St. Bonaventure game for him was a really good moment in time to give him more confidence,” Miller noted. “We’ve been waiting for him to make more plays around the basket or guarding the basket. I thought he had some key buckets driving the ball.”
Playing in a lineup with seniors Charles Cooke (18.7 ppg), Scoochie Smith (13.9), Kendall Pollard (13.9) and Kyle Davis (8.9), Mikesell adds 7.5 points per game on an average of 5.4 shot attempts.
Per KenPom, Mikesell’s offensive rating of 123.9 (metric used to estimate the number of points scored in 100 possessions with the player on the court) in A-10 play ranks 14th in the conference and is more than 10 points better than UD’s overall mark. His defensive rebounding percentage of 15.2 is good for top 25 in the conference.
Logging 27 minutes, he scored nine points on 3-of-5 shooting in Dayton’s 67-64 win over Rhode Island last Friday. He corralled a team-high seven rebounds.
“His greatest attribute other than everything else is he’s not afraid,” Miller added. “He’s a fearless kid. He’s a competitor.”
Mikesell’s effort in the conference opener against La Salle was short-circuited by foul trouble. He picked up four fouls in 15 minutes of playing time. Miller doesn’t need to look hard to find Mikesell’s biggest limitation.
“Foul trouble is the obvious one. He’s picked up probably five, six, seven times this year that first foul in the first 30 seconds of the game and that hurts us.”
The tragic passing of Steve McElvene in the off-season followed by Josh Cunningham‘s ankle injury in early November, created a front-court need for the Flyers. Mikesell stepped in from there.
“He’s probably our number one guy from start to finish right now in practice,” Miller said. “He’s accountable. I think guys trust him. The good thing is he keeps sorta learning the game as we keep getting better here. As we keep getting along I think you’re seeing a very important guy that people trust.”
Up Next
Dayton (12-3/3-0) travels to Amherst to take on the UMass Minutemen (10-6/0-3), a team ranked top 50 in the country forcing nearly 16 turnovers per game.
“Going on the road especially after an emotional week you worry about a letdown and what not. You got find a way on the road to play error-free. You can’t turn the ball over. UMass thrives on that. I think that’s something we’re going to be very concerned about is our ability to slow them down a little bit.”
Dayton forces 16.13 turnovers (31st).
A 7 pm tip time is scheduled Wednesday. CBS Sports Network will televise the game.
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