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Monday, November 2, 2009
UD looking for improvement in exhibition
Exhibition games are normally a time for fans to kick back and enjoy a stress-free night while their team splatters an opponent, but that wasn’t the case when Dayton faced Findlay two years ago.
The Flyers survived, 81-78, against the Division II school and needed a questionable foul on Findlay and subsequent technical on the visitors’ coach to avoid a shocking defeat.
Of course, Findlay showed just how good it was by beating Ohio State, 70-68, a few days later.
The Flyers will play their first exhibition of the 2009-10 season at 7 p.m. Tuesday against Ferris State, and fans probably won’t have to worry about sweating this one out.
Although the D-II Bulldogs return four starters, they finished just 14-14 last season and didn’t start anyone taller than 6-foot-6 a year ago.
The Flyers, too, are more established than that 2007 team was at the beginning of the season. Although point guard Rob Lowery (knee) is still mending, and sophomore guard Paul Williams (concussion) will sit out, UD has experience galore this year.
“I think the most important thing is our guys have great confidence right now — not only in each other and themselves, but in the system, in the things we really try to preach and exercise,” UD coach Brian Gregory said.
“But we can’t look differently at what our core values are and foundation of what we’ve built this success upon. First and foremost, that’s taking every day and using every day to get better. The reason we’ve had some success is guys are continually getting better.”
Gregory is seeing that single-minded focus, thanks to veteran leaders who never try to slide by during practice.
“Those seven seniors (counting walk-ons) have set the standard. Those are the guys who are in charge of that,” Gregory said. “They don’t let any slip-ups. And that’s always the biggest challenge with a team that’s had success and is coming back. We tell our guys this is their team, and they need to take ownership for us in taking the next step as a program.”
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