No. 25 Dayton was challenged immediately in its first game as a ranked squad in 2013, but held on for a 56-46 win over Delaware State.
Dayton vs. Delaware State final score: Flyers hold on in return from Maui
After facing a tough field in Maui, Dayton had to battle again for 40 minutes against Delaware State.
Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
The Flyers were coming off an impressive showing at the Maui Invitational where they went 2-1 with their only loss coming by one point to No. 20 Baylor.
In this one, Dayton scored the first 10 points of the game, yet was not able to build a comfortable lead all night. The Hornets responded with a 10-2 run and hung around for the rest of the game. Tyshawn Bell and Casey Walker each scored 14 points to lead the Hornets.
Meanwhile Devin Oliver and Jordan Sibert, Dayton's two leading scorers coming into the game, were held to a combined 11 points. Matt Kavanaugh stepped up to fill the gap, scoring 11 of his own down low. As a team, the Flyers shot a respectable 46.5 percent, but made just 2 of their 14 three-point attempts, never quite sinking that dagger that would have turned a battle into a comfortable victory.
Next up, Dayton will visit Illinois State on Saturday night.
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