UDFlyers
“Hemade a hell of a shot,” Dayton coach Anthony Grant said. “Give him credit.”
Bandoumel scored 19 points on 6-of-12 shooting.
“Howmany big shots has hemade for us?” SMUcoach Tim Jankovich said on his postgame radio show. “If you remember last year, he’s a guywho can definitely deliver in the clutch. We’ve got a number of guys who have that kind of courage.”
ThiswasDayton’s first loss at home since March 1, 2019, when the Flyers fell 72-70 to Rhode Island. UD won its final home game that season, all 17 last season and its first home game this season.
“I feel down for sure,” forward Chase Johnson said. “We had some really good things happen tonight, though.”
Watson led the Flyers with 23 points. Johnson had 14.
Tshimanga had eight points and 12 rebounds. Jalen Crutcher had 10 points and seven assists.
Daytoncommitted19 turnovers to SMU’s 14 and the Mustangs took12more shots.
Thereweremissed opportunities in the final minutes as well. Tshimanga missed the front end of a 1- and- 1 with 3:01 to play and Dayton trailing 60-57. Hemissed two free throws with 1:22 to play with Dayton leading 61-60.
SMU took a 62-61 lead on a jump shot by Bandoumel with 56 seconds to play. Watson’s game-tying shot followed two free throws by Kendric Davis, who had a team- high 21 points, with 19 seconds left.
“GivecredittoSMU,” Grant said. “I thought they were able tomake a couple of plays there, including the last play to end it. But it was a hardfought game. Webothplayed extremelyhard. Asmuchas it hurts to lose it, we’ll be able to learn from it.”