Dayton Flyers
Overall Rank: #40
Conference Rank: #1 Atlantic 10
Heading into the end of last season, Dayton looked like a squad that could beat just about anybody. The Flyers were 15-0 in Atlantic 10 play heading into the regular season finale. Their perfect A10 campaign was ruined by Saint Louis though and then Dayton was upset again in their second game in the conference tournament. That was not the momentum Coach Shauna Green was hoping for heading into the NCAA Tournament. And the #9 Flyers lost to eight seeded Marquette by 19 points. With three starters gone, Dayton has some rebuilding to do, but there is more than enough talent here to once again dominate the A10 and reach the NCAA Tournament.
2017-18 Record: 23-7, 15-1
2017-18 Postseason: NCAA
Coach: Shauna Green
Coach Record: 45-17 at Dayton, 74-42 overall
Key Departed Players (starters in bold)
Jenna Burdette, Guard, 16.2 ppg
JaVonna Layfield, Guard, 12.0 ppg
Alex Harris, Forward/Center, 7.6 ppg
Key Returning Players (starters in bold)
Jayla Scaife, Junior, Guard, 14.5 ppg
Lauren Cannatelli, Senior, Guard, 13.3 ppg
Jordan Wilmoth, Junior, Forward, 5.5 ppg
Maddy Dennis, Senior, Forward, 3.4 ppg
Ashleigh Parkinson, Senior, Guard/Forward, 3.2 ppg
Tiaera Phillips, Senior, Guard, 2.3 ppg
Christine Szabo, Junior, Guard, 1.5 ppg
Brittany Ward, Junior, Guard, 1.2 ppg
Key New Players
Araion Bradshaw, Sophomore, Guard, Transfer from South Carolina
Julia Chandler, Junior, Forward, Transfer from Syracuse
Amari Davidson, Freshman, Forward
Shakeela Fowler, Junior, Guard, JC Transfer
Ella Skeens, Freshman, Forward
Erin Whalen, Sophomore, Guard/Forward, Transfer from Vanderbilt
Kayla Whitehead, Freshman, Forward
Projection:
Guards Jayla Scaife and Lauren Cannatelli highlight the returning players. Scaife averaged 14.5 points per game and is a dynamic scorer both inside and outside the arc. Cannatelli does most of her scoring from beyond the arc. She connected on a team high 83 three-pointers at a 40.7 percent clip. Coach Green has brought in four transfers, including three from the Division I ranks. Aarion Bradshaw comes from South Carolina where she played limited minutes as a freshman on the national championship team. She too should be a dangerous shooting threat on this team. Erin Whalen, a 6-1 wing, spent two years at Vanderbilt where she proved to be a capable scorer. Julia Chandler did not make much of an impact at Syracuse, but the 6-2 forward will get a fresh start at Dayton. Shakeela Fowler spent one season at Illinois State before heading to the junior college ranks and redshirting at Dayton last season. Overall this is a very experienced team. Only two starters are back, but there are five other upperclassmen returning and those four transfers with Division I experience. If Coach Green can fit all the pieces together, the Flyers will be a dangerous team in March.
Projected Postseason Tournament: NCAA
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 73.3 (45th in nation, 1st in conference)
Scoring Defense: 62.1 (102, 4)
Field-Goal Percentage: 42.7 (77, 4)
Field-Goal Defense:35.6 (16, 1)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 7.6 (59, 3)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 38.4 (10, 1)
Free-Throw Percentage: 72.5 (99, 6)
Rebound Margin: 6.1 (40, 3)
Assists Per Game: 14.0 (126, 6)
Turnovers Per Game: 13.5 (57, 4)
