By CHUCKIE MAGGIO
Mike Rhodes and Mark Schmidt each fielded the question by trying to draw impartial fans to their side.
Which team, Dayton Daily News reporter David Jablonski asked, should Dayton fans root for during Sunday’s Atlantic 10 Championship Game at University of Dayton Arena: VCU or St. Bonaventure?
“I hope they cheer for the black and gold,” Rams coach Mike Rhodes said, “but I know they’ll be rooting no matter what for the A-10 and all its members.”
“Well the last time we played in Dayton, we played UCLA,” Bonnies coach Mark Schmidt said, referencing the 2018 NCAA Tournament First Four game and not last year’s meeting with the Flyers, “and it felt like the Reilly Center. The Dayton community and the fans really did a tremendous job in supporting us. So hopefully it’s us. We’re just really happy to play in such a great arena.”
Each program has a fond First Four memory in UD Arena, as well as a memorable road victory or two against the Flyers. Though the COVID-19 pandemic is limiting Sunday’s attendance to a maximum of 3,351 fans, the arena still promises to be loud- or “LOWD,” as UD fans enjoy spelling it.
As Dayton prepares to host its first A-10 men’s final since 2004, a look back at each school’s biggest wins in the arena:
St. Bonaventure:
1. March 13, 2018: St. Bonaventure 65, UCLA 58.
SBU recorded its first NCAA Tournament victory since 1970 on a frigid night in Dayton, going toe-to-toe with the Bruins before pulling away in the final minute. Jaylen Adams made a mid-range jump shot with 48 seconds left, while UCLA first round pick Aaron Holiday committed six second-half turnovers, and the Bonnies made five of their six free throws to ice the contest.
Courtney Stockard was the star that night, scoring 26 points and swiping four steals, to power a shooting-deficient Bonnies squad. Schmidt emotionally dedicated the victory to the 1970 Final Four team, which missed an opportunity to face UCLA in the national championship game after Bob Lanier suffered a season-ending knee injury against Villanova in the East regional final.
2. Feb. 20, 2016: St. Bonaventure 79, No. 15 Dayton 72.
Adams posted 31 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 36 seconds remaining, as the Bonnies earned their first true road win against a ranked opponent since 1960.
Dayton Daily News columnist Tom Archdeacon likened Adams, whose performance tied the second-highest point total at Dayton that decade behind Andrew Nicholson’s 35, to “Superman” after the game.
Bona needed the upset, its first win at UD Arena in 14 years, after falling to A-10 cellar dweller La Salle three days prior. Adams was 5-of-9 from 3-point range, made all 10 of his free throws and also had six assists and six rebounds, outdueling Flyers star Scoochie Smith.
The Bonnies ended Dayton’s streak of 77 games without back-to-back defeats, the third longest run in the country.
3. Feb. 3, 2002: St. Bonaventure 81, Dayton 75.
J.R. Bremer went for 30 points on Super Bowl Sunday as the Bonnies erupted for 49 first-half points and fended off a furious Flyer comeback for their first win at the venue.
The Bonnies combated Dayton’s matchup zone by making 10 of their 20 3-point attempts in the first half. The Flyers committed 21 turnovers in 40 minutes, mistakes even a rally to thin a 19-point deficit to just three points couldn’t mask. Marques Green (17 points), Vidal Massiah (15) and Patricio Prato (11) joined Bremer in double figures as Bona improved to 13-7 (5-4 A-10) en route to a NIT appearance.
VCU:
1. March 16, 2011: VCU 59, USC 46.
The Rams’ at-large selection into the 2011 NCAA Tournament field was widely criticized, despite the then-Colonial Athletic Association member winning 23 games to that point.
“When I look at UAB and VCU at the expense of some of these other teams… I wonder if some people on the committee know whether the ball is round,” said ESPN analyst Jay Bilas. “That sounds harsh, but I wonder it. These were bad decisions. They were indefensible.”
Shaka Smart’s Rams served the experts crow, starting with a Trojan takedown in the First Four. Jamie Skeen scored 16 points to lead all scorers while Joey Rodriguez recorded eight points and five assists as VCU finished the game on a 15-3 run to advance to the Round of 64. The “Havoc Defense,” introducing itself to many first-time observers, held future NBAer Nikola Vucevic to 11 points, six points under his season average.
Smart, who watched his group get grilled by the masses after the Selection Show, targeted one of his loudest critics postgame. “You guys think Jay Bilas watched that game?” he asked. Bilas watched that game, and the other five- the Rams made it all the way to Houston for the Final Four.
2. Feb. 16, 2019: VCU 69, Dayton 68.
Marcus Evans made the game-winning layup with six seconds left to down Dayton, denying the Flyers after a 22-point comeback briefly put Anthony Grant’s squad in the lead in front of a sold-out UD Arena crowd.
De’Riante Jenkins scored 19 points on the strength of five 3-pointers to power VCU, which won its sixth straight game to improve to 10-2 in the A-10.
A back-and-forth final minute included Jordan Davis’s deep 3-pointer to put Dayton up a point with 1:03 remaining; Isaac Vann making both ends of a one-and-one to regain the lead with 39 seconds left; then-freshman Obi Toppin’s jumper to swing the lead back the Flyers’ way; and Evan’s basket between two defenders to win the contest.
3. Jan. 22, 2014: VCU 80, Dayton 66.
The Dayton Flyers made the 2014 Elite Eight but had lost two of their first three A-10 matchups when they hosted VCU, winners of six in seven. The Rams pounced, taking a 30-18 lead 15 minutes in and leading 36-27 at halftime, never trailing again.
Briante Weber and Juvonte Reddic scored 18 points apiece and Treveon Graham added 14 as the Rams forced 18 turnovers, helping them overcome Devin Oliver’s 21-point performance. Then-freshman JeQuan Lewis hit back-to-back 3-pointers to kickstart a 19-6 run, extending the Rams’ lead to 20 points with 5:55 remaining.
VCU improved to 15-4, 3-1 in the A-10. The Rams ultimately finished the season ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 and made it to the A-10 Championship Game.
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