Flyers fall 2 spots in new AP basketball poll

Dayton (10-2) sufferered the drop despite winning its only game last week by crushing Grambling State 81-53.

The Dayton Flyers fell from No. 18 to No. 20 in the Associated Press top25 poll on Monday.

Dayton (10-2) played one game last week, beating Grambling State 81-53 on Dec. 23. The Flyers returned to action Monday night against North Florida in their final non-conference game and then play at La Salle on Thursday and at Saint Joseph’s on Sunday.

Kentucky and West Virginia passed Dayton in the poll this week. The Wildcats climbed two spots to No. 17 after beating Louisville, and West Virginia climbed six spots to No. 16 after beating Ohio State. The Buckeyes fell from No. 2 to No. 5.

Dayton climbed to No. 13, its highest ranking since 1967, two weeks ago but fell to No. 18 after a 78-76 overtime loss to Colorado at the United

Center in Chicago on Saturday.

Dayton entered the poll at No. 19 on Dec. 2 and then climbed to No. 14 and No. 13 in the following weeks. This is the first time since 2002-03 Dayton has ranked in the top 25 five straight weeks, and it’s the first time it has ranked in the top 20 five straight weeks since the 1957-58 season.

Flyer honored: Dayton guard Ibi Watson won the Atlantic 10 Player of the Week award on Monday.

Watson scored a careerhigh 30 points Dec. 23 in an 81-53 victory against Grambling State at UD Arena. He made 8 of 12 field goals, 4 of 5 3-pointers and 10 of 10 free throws.

Watson is the second Dayton player to win the award this season. Obi Toppin was honored Nov. 11 and Dec. 2.

Women’s basketball: Auburn transfer Maliya Perry will join the Dayton women’s basketball team, she announced Saturday.

Perry, a 2019 graduate of Pickerington Central, is a 6-foot guard/forward. She ranked 98th in the class of 2019 according to ProspectsNation.com.

Perry appeared in three of Auburn’s first four games, seeing a total of 22 minutes and scoring five points. She entered the transfer portal on Nov. 25, according to Al.com.

Perry joins another Pickerington Central grad, sophomore Kyla Whitehead, at Dayton. They started in the state championship game together in 2018 as Pickerington beat Solon 49-45.

Dayton (6-7) plays Coppin State at noon Tuesday at UD Arena in its final non-conference game.

DAVID JABLONSKI / STAFF UD’s Ibi Watson had a 30-point effort Dec. 23 against Grambling State and it earned him Atlantic 10 Player of the Week honors.