Dayton Basketball: No. 23 Saint Louis Heads to Dayton as Flyers Chase Quad 1 Win and A-10 Momentum
dayton basketball faces a defining home test on Tuesday when No. 23 Saint Louis visits, a matchup with immediate A-10 standings implications and significant NCAA Tournament consequences for both clubs.
Dayton Basketball: Flyers' form, key players and NCAA outlook
The Flyers enter the game with a record that reflects a challenging conference slate and a recent hot stretch. Dayton is 18-9 overall and 9-5 in conference play after managing three wins in a seven-day span. That run included a 78-66 home victory over Duquesne, paced by Amael L'Etang, who produced 17 points and 10 rebounds in that game.
L'Etang ranks third on the team in scoring at 11. 9 points per game and leads the team with 5. 8 rebounds per game; he missed four games after sustaining a knee injury in practice on Dec. 29 and has said he feels back to 100% and more able to contribute consistently. Leading scorer Javon Bennett, at 15. 9 points per game, added 14 in the win over Duquesne.
Dayton sits 84th in the NET rankings and remains outside the current NCAA Tournament cut line on its own merit. The Flyers will need to win the A-10 tournament to secure a tournament berth if their profile does not improve. A win over a top-ranked conference opponent would be a chance to notch a Quad 1 victory; Dayton is 0-5 in Quad 1 games but has another opportunity to change that mark when Saint Louis comes to town.
Saint Louis momentum, midseason turbulence and what it means
No. 23 Saint Louis brings strong conference standing and recent resilience to Dayton. The Billikens are 25-2 overall and 13-1 in A-10 play. Their most recent outing featured a rally from a 22-8 first-half deficit to defeat VCU 88-75, driven by balanced scoring and a dominant second half in which Saint Louis outscored VCU 55-33 and built a lead as large as 19 points.
Bench and rotation depth played a role in that comeback: reserve guard Kellen Thames led the team with 16 points, while Ishan Sharma, Robbie Avila and Amari McCottry each contributed 13 points and Quentin Jones added 11. The game included late-game disciplinary issues, with Jones and multiple bench players ejected after a shoving match; the conference fined and reprimanded both teams for that incident.
The Billikens also experienced a midseason setback when an 18-game winning streak was snapped with an 81-76 loss at Rhode Island. Even with that loss, the team sits at No. 22 in the NET rankings and remains firmly in the mix for NCAA Tournament positioning. Saint Louis has noted a desire to get off to better starts; coach Josh Schertz acknowledged the team had typically been a fast-starting group earlier in the season and that addressing slow openings had become a practice focus.
Matchup history, stakes and what to watch Tuesday
The teams have met earlier this season, with Saint Louis posting a decisive 102-71 victory at home on Jan. 30. That prior result gives the Billikens a clear psychological edge to defend, while Dayton will lean on recent improvements and the return of key contributors to keep the game competitive at home.
Primary storylines to watch: Dayton seeking its first Quad 1 win and an NCAA résumé boost; Saint Louis aiming to maintain its firm hold near the top of the A-10; and whether the Billikens can translate second-half strength into a complete 40-minute performance, addressing the slow starts that have crept into recent games. Discipline and bench management could also influence the outcome, given the earlier ejections and conference response in the Billikens' latest game.
Tuesday's matchup will be measured not just by the final score but by how each team responds to the immediate stakes: Dayton basketball tries to close the gap in the A-10 pecking order and secure a marquee win, while No. 23 Saint Louis looks to sustain momentum and keep its conference position intact.
