ATLANTIC CITY -- After four entertaining games yesterday, we get things going today with a blood feud of an affair between top seed Xavier and 8-seed Dayton.
There's a big clump of a few hundred Muskteers fans behind their bench, and a line of six students behind the Xavier band. One of them has a full-body blue paint job going.
But I would say Dayton has at least double that many fans, if not more. Multiple sections behind the Flyers bench and just as many behind my seat across the floor.
No question, this game is a huge deal for Dayton. Not just because of the rivalry -- which is up there with St. Joe's-Temple as the best in the Atlantic 10 -- and not just because Xavier won both games against Dayton this season.
If the Flyers win today, they might just get back into the NCAA Tournament picture. Yes, even though they finished the season 8-8 in conference play, a win over Xavier could get the selection committee's attention given Dayton's non-conference schedule.
It would help if stud Flyers freshman forward Chris Wright played. He's been out injured for quite a while, and rumors have been swirling that he could come back here in Atlantic City. But he didn't play yesterday and didn't start today.
As for who did start:
Dayton
G Sr 2 Brian Roberts
G Sr 3 Andres Sandoval
G So 32 Marcus Johnson
F Sr 33 Jimmy Binnie (whose family is right behind me, I think)
F So 41 Kurt Huelsman
Xavier
G Sr 24 Drew Lavender
G Sr 34 Stanley Burrell
F So 5 Derrick Brown
F Jr 20 C.J. Anderson
F So 31 Jason Love (Philadelphia/Abington Friends)
