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Game 7-004: Akron at Dayton
November 17, 2010 9:32 am ET by Kyle Whelliston

Akron Zips at Dayton Flyers

November 16, 2010 9:00 pm
U. of Dayton Arena
BBState Stats/Recap
A capital is the middle, the hub, the battery from which the current emanates. It's not there until a decision is made -- this is the center. Placement of the capital can be a product of poor and inefficient planning (an overseas headquarters for a domestic corporation), or the location can become outdated and obsolete (the American capital was put in a city that would later be over 3,000 miles from significant portions of America). Most of the time, though, it's a pretty obvious decision.

Dayton was the first capital of Hoops Nation. Five years ago, on a double-header Saturday there, it was obvious. I didn't need any relevant authority, and nobody had a better argument (sorry, North Carolina). This was the dead-center of college basketball passion. We've since moved it west, but it was always be the First Capital.


The first virtual headquarters of The Mid-Majority was the South Park Tavern. This is where the first P.I.G. Parties were held, so it was a natural choice. When we walked in on a rainy Tuesday night, there were the games from ESPN's tip-off marathon on all the screens. A disc of Tom Petty's "Live Anthology" spun in the shuffler, and there was this.


Gourmet wheat crust, fresh vegetables, oozing cheese... get your face off the computer screen, you food pervert. Go there yourself.


The University of Dayton Arena is a "pit," and it's underground. It's also the home of the P.I.G., both new and old. For a decade, seeds Nos. 64 and 65 came in and battled for a place on the big bracket, and now it will be the home of the First Four. Apparently, it was down to Indianapolis and Dayton. This is justice, because Dayton has come close to sellouts for SWAC-NEC games. On this night, no elimination. Akron from the MAC was in for a late game.


And it was full. And it was loud. Tip time doesn't matter at UD Arena. Have a game at 4 a.m., maybe for next year's tip-off marathon, and it will be full and loud. This is how much the city of Dayton loves college basketball.


Somebody everybody should know is Dr. Willie Morris III, the bandleader of the Dayton Pep Band. I made sure to give him a cameo in the book. He's easily the most creative, outside-the-box bandleader in Hoops Nation, and at the eight-minute time out, he leads them out in their crazy basketball hats to play for the crowd like a band would at an American-Style Football halftime. Go crazy or go home!


They're also the last to leave, and their infamous final sustained note is longer than most pop songs. I timed last night's at 4:41.


As for the game, Akron tried to stay close with three-pointers, but Dayton has a lot of youthful energy and athleticism this year. I mean, they do every year, but this squad seems to be more dynamic and sustainable. Great freshman class. The trick will be to have gas left for February and March, and keep from the recent pattern of .500 records in the Atlantic 14, an early exit in Atlantic City, and wondering why the NCAA didn't come calling but not really wondering why. They did win the NIT last season, and this is actually the first time we've acknowledged that on this site, but I didn't see no big banner for that. We'll be back later on to see how the Flyers are progressing.

@midmajority Game Tweets


20:18 The familiar backup in the I75 SB righthand lane just before the Edwin Moses Blvd exit. Seriously, Dayton, need more road.
20:30 And I'll probably burn in heck for this, but I've been parking on Stewart for years now, pass or no pass. The lots are a nightmare.
20:53 On a rainy night like this, extra #S7 #kixx precautions must be taken. http://img.ly/2rLU
20:53 I'd like to remind our Dayton homies about the inefficiency of the #aisleofdeath pass parking system. No, it's not better. Than anything.
20:56 Game 7-004: Akron at Dayton. Candee Fluff. For EVERYBODY! http://img.ly/2rM0
21:03 Presenting the colors. (Mostly red.) http://img.ly/2rM9
21:05 It's the shoes though... The shoes RT @emsrower: @midmajority i see you. Only one in press row with a suit. Classy
21:08 Chris Wright with the first basket for UD, then Zeke Marshall answers for the Zips. No shutout tonight, sports racers.
21:09 Wright made an #omgdunx just now. People got really excited! 5-4 AKR at 18:09 1H.
21:16 Silky end to end action. The smooth taste is not fooling me. Akron leads 11-9, McLanahan w/ 2 3's for AKR. Wright 2-for-2 on the other end.
21:17 This is something to put on a labcoat and hold a clipboard about. RT @tahobgoo I take it that #omgdunx make people happy about basketball?
21:23 Wow, serious flingage going on. Both teams shooting 50% or better from superhoop range; UD back up 19-18 near the end of the 1st quarter.
21:31 [RLU ALERT] Virginia Commonwealth 90, Wake Forest 69 | http://tmm7.me/4f6 @RedLineUpsets
21:33 Close game down the stretch... was being watched with interest in the tunnels RT @midmajority360 IPFW 66 Xavier 76 | http://tmm7.me/4ff
21:34 Congrats to VCU for pulling the ninth RLU of the season. #caahoops
21:37 Here in Dayton, froshh Juwan Staten is going #nutz! 9 pts, nearly everything going in for him. Can't stop the rock!! UD up 24-20 at 7:23 1H.
21:40 Seniors getting in a little too. Searcy with the tip-follow, UD up 29-22 now. Time out Akron, and the band is loud.
21:45 Brandon Spearman showing a little flash too. Got his own miss, elevated for a +1. Good strong froshhh class! UD in dubl-digits now, 35-24.
21:50 Dr. W.M. III, the UD band, and cheerleaders. And yes. http://img.ly/2rN2
21:52 Chris Wright just made another #omgdunx, this time in transition. These "#omgdunx" certainly elicit quite a reaction! Oh my!
21:56 Staten a banger at the buzzer (11 for him), and Flyers are up 42-31 at the half. As for Akron, not much to say. Shooting 34%, outreb by 7.
21:57 Elsewhere! Nicholls leading LSU late in 1H, Western Carolina crushing DePaul in 2H, and not much Yum! in Butler's performance tonight.
21:59 [RLU ALERT] Nicholls State 62, Louisiana State 53 | http://tmm7.me/4fv @RedLineUpsets
22:03 OK, THAT'S some sparkle motion. http://img.ly/2rNm
22:06 Yay for the Southland. Also, Northern Colorado dubling up Wyoming at HT. REMINDER: "That's not an upset" gets you blocked and taunted.
22:07 RT @jllanclos: @midmajority Texas Tech 74 North Texas 74 End of regulation. Butler within 11. YUM!
22:07 That's Rule #381. Rule #428: "Sandstorm" never gets old.
22:09 Ha! RT @SLC_Commish @midmajority Man I'm getting old. I was at that last in-state loss by LSU: LTU beat Tigers in OT back in 1988-89 season.
22:09 RT @gashaheen: "Who, where, how you play" - these games are discussed for hours in the committee room in March. Every game counts - good and bad.
22:12 2H on tap. Unless Akron can get on a streak, this is a Dayton-watch. A lot of young energy; might bust them through that Feb wall this year.
22:16 In that Nicholls game, Colonels shot 35% as a team, were outrebounded, but won with a -10 turn diff. Classic formula upset.
22:20 Go crazy or go home. http://img.ly/2rNH
22:24 And here's that Akron streak. The McThrees (McNees and McLanahan) are hitting some superhoops, 53-51 Flyers at 13:49 2H.
22:25 RT @WillhiteHerald: #DePaul trailed by 21 with 16 minutes to go, but has pulled within 58-53 with 3:30 left. @midmajority must sweat it out
22:26 McNees 3/7 from superhoopland, McLanahan 4/7. Tied up at 54 now at the 12:54 mark.
22:28 [RLU ALERT] North Texas 92, Texas Tech 83 | http://tmm7.me/4g2 @RedLineUpsets
22:37 Sun Belt on the board. A Josh White #superhoop in overtime and a lot of FTs for the Verdantly Vicious. NTEX scored 18 points in the 5 min.
22:39 Here, it's 63-61 Akron at 8:14 2H. Zips riding the power of the #superhoop. Dayton shooting 54% but the turns are piling up.
22:42 The eight minute MTO at a UD game. It can get a little nuts with the band hats! http://img.ly/2rO4
22:44 [RLU ALERT] Western Carolina 69, DePaul 64 | http://tmm7.me/4g6 @RedLineUpsets
22:46 Check last yr's Nov record before jumping off a bridge. RT @midmajority360 Butler 73 Louisville 88 | BUTL: S. Mack 25 | http://tmm7.me/4g5
22:49 A good night for RLUs if your conference starts with an S. Harouna Mutombo with 17 for WCU as they hold off DePaul.
22:53 Here, Akron's 3-power fizzling against the athleticalisismicality of UD. Flyers broke open a tie to build a 7-point lead again at 3:30.
22:54 Noise meter. #oyeahilikeit http://img.ly/2rOm
22:55 If you can find a ticket! RT @gmoore21566 @midmajority Is going to a game at Dayton Arena a required pilgrimage for all college hoops fans?
22:57 More #superhoop action from Akron. 14-for-33 from 3. 72-68 Dayton with 1:20 left.
22:59 G--damn, this place gets loud. Minute to go, every single person in UD Arena standing and screaming. Searcy follow buts Flyers up by 6.
23:01 Wright (23 pts) puts the final FTs on it, :06.5 left, 76-68. Have people stopped standing and yelling, though? #no
23:03 Final. Dayton 76, Akron 68. First Capital, always. Good night, Hoops Nation.

Boxscore


at DAYTON 76, AKRON 68
11/16/2010

AKRON 1-1 (0-0) -- S. McNees 4-13 0-0 12; N. Cvetinovic 2-10 7-8 11; D. Roberts 2-7 0-0 6; B. McClanahan 7-15 2-2 21; Z. Marshall 3-5 0-0 6; M. Bardo 0-0 0-1 0; Q. Diggs 0-3 0-0 0; A. Abreu 2-5 0-0 5; D. Euton 2-2 1-2 7; J. Egner 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-60 10-13 68.
DAYTON 2-0 (0-0) -- J. Staten 5-12 1-1 11; C. Wright 9-12 4-6 23; C. Johnson 1-1 0-0 3; D. Searcy 5-9 0-0 10; J. Parker 3-9 1-3 9; P. Williams 3-7 2-2 9; J. Benson 1-1 0-1 2; B. Spearman 2-4 2-3 7; D. Oliver 1-1 0-0 2; M. Kavanaugh 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 30-56 10-16 76.

Three-point goals: AKR 14-36 (S. McNees 4-12; D. Roberts 2-7; B. McClanahan 5-11; Q. Diggs 0-2; A. Abreu 1-2; D. Euton 2-2), UD 6-15 (C. Wright 1-1; P. Williams 1-3; J. Parker 2-7; C. Johnson 1-1; J. Staten 0-1; B. Spearman 1-2); Rebounds: AKR 25 (N. Cventinovic 10), UD 40 (C. Wright 12); Assists: AKR 18 (N. Cventinovic 7), UD 13 (J. Staten 6); Total Fouls -- AKR 17, UD 16; Fouled Out: AKR-None; UD-P. Williams.