Elvis scores 10 of his 15 points in OT, No. 25 Dayton rallies to down VCU 91-86 to go 15-0 at home
DAYTON, Ohio (AP) Kobe Elvis hit back-to-back 3-pointers and a pair of free throws in the last 1:09 of overtime to lift No. 25 Dayton to a 91-86 win over VCU in a white-knuckle final regular-season game Friday night.
Max Shulga hit a 3-pointer to get VCU within two points with 4 seconds left in OT, but Enoch Cheeks and DaRon Holmes II hit foul shots to seal it for Dayton (24-6, 14-4 Atlantic 10), which finished 15-0 on its home court.
“I’ve been doing this a long time, and that’s about the grittiest performance I’ve seen,” Dayton coach Anthony Grant said. “I’m in awe of these guys.”
Elvis scored 10 of his 15 points in overtime as the Flyers fought back from a 17-point first-half deficit to tie the game at 70 in the last 2 1/2 minutes of regulation. Holmes finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds, and Nate Santos had 21, leading all five Dayton starters in double-digit scoring.
“Just extremely confident,” said an emotional Elvis, who was recognized with two other Flyers seniors before the game. “The guys, they trust me to take big shots, just looking for me in transition.”
Zeb Jackson had 26 points, including 6 3-pointers in 14 attempts, for VCU (19-12, 11-7). Shulga finished with 14 points.
The notoriously slow-starting Flyers showed signs they might be ambushed again by the Rams, who had prevailed 49-47 in their last lethargic meeting on Feb. 9.
VCU bombed away from the 3-point stripe to start the game, hitting six from long range in the first 10 minutes but cooled off. The Rams jumped out to a 17-point lead at the 10-minute mark until Dayton, which turned the ball over nine times in the half, finally woke up.
A 10-2 run by the Flyers helped them climb back into the game. Dayton closed the deficit to 38-31 at the break but didn't lead in the game until the 5:57 mark of the second half.
“Really, in the first half when we went down by 17, we found a way to come close together and just figure it out,” said guard Koby Brea, who started in place of the injured Javon Bennett and finished with 18 points. “Understand that support and again we can come back again. We've done it before.”
BIG PICTURE
VCU: The Rams hit 18 3-pointers and probably deserved to win but let Dayton creep back in and outplay them in overtime.
Dayton: The Flyers will reach their goal of getting back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017, regardless of whether they win the conference tournament. They are 21st in the NCAA evaluation rankings.
“This is March. This is when you get excited,” Grant said.
UP NEXT
Atlantic 10 tournament opens Tuesday in Brooklyn, New York. Schedule still to be determined.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Christian Fermin vs. DaRon Holmes II (Koby Brea gains possession) | |||
19:41 | Koby Brea misses three point jump shot | |||
19:39 | Nate Santos offensive rebound | |||
19:38 | Kuany Kuany personal foul (Nate Santos draws the foul) | |||
19:26 | Christian Fermin blocks DaRon Holmes II's two point layup | |||
19:24 | DaRon Holmes II offensive rebound | |||
19:20 | DaRon Holmes II turnover (lost ball) | |||
19:04 | +3 | Max Shulga makes three point jump shot (Christian Fermin assists) | 3-0 | |
18:41 | Christian Fermin shooting foul (DaRon Holmes II draws the foul) | |||
18:41 | +1 | DaRon Holmes II makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 3-1 | |
18:41 | +1 | DaRon Holmes II makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 3-2 | |
18:18 | Sean Bairstow misses three point jump shot | |||
18:16 | Enoch Cheeks defensive rebound | |||
17:58 | Enoch Cheeks misses two point pullup jump shot | |||
17:56 | Zeb Jackson defensive rebound | |||
17:42 | Zeb Jackson misses three point jump shot | |||
17:40 | Enoch Cheeks defensive rebound | |||
17:36 | Enoch Cheeks turnover (bad pass) (Kuany Kuany steals) | |||
17:09 | +2 | Zeb Jackson makes two point pullup jump shot | 5-2 | |
16:57 | Kuany Kuany personal foul (DaRon Holmes II draws the foul) | |||
16:56 | Kobe Elvis turnover (bad pass) | |||
16:42 | +3 | Sean Bairstow makes three point jump shot (Max Shulga assists) | 8-2 | |
16:30 | +2 | Enoch Cheeks makes two point jump shot | 8-4 | |
16:19 | +2 | Zeb Jackson makes two point layup | 10-4 | |
16:04 | +3 | Nate Santos makes three point jump shot (DaRon Holmes II assists) | 10-7 | |
15:35 | +3 | Zeb Jackson makes three point bank jump shot | 13-7 | |
15:10 | DaRon Holmes II turnover (traveling) | |||
15:10 | TV timeout | |||
14:45 | +3 | Zeb Jackson makes three point jump shot (Sean Bairstow assists) | 16-7 | |
14:20 | Nate Santos misses two point jump shot | |||
14:18 | Toibu Lawal defensive rebound | |||
14:02 | +2 | Sean Bairstow makes two point turnaround fadeaway jump shot | 18-7 | |
13:30 | DaRon Holmes II misses two point jump shot | |||
13:28 | Max Shulga defensive rebound | |||
13:17 | Michael Belle misses two point dunk | |||
13:15 | DaRon Holmes II defensive rebound | |||
13:08 | Nate Santos misses three point jump shot | |||
13:06 | Zeb Jackson defensive rebound | |||
12:52 | Zeb Jackson misses three point jump shot | |||
12:50 | DaRon Holmes II defensive rebound | |||
12:42 | Michael Belle blocks DaRon Holmes II's two point layup | |||
12:40 | Toibu Lawal defensive rebound | |||
12:23 | Michael Belle misses two point layup | |||
12:21 | Michael Belle offensive rebound | |||
12:16 | Zeb Jackson misses three point jump shot | |||
12:14 | Toibu Lawal offensive rebound | |||
12:14 | Petras Padegimas personal foul (Toibu Lawal draws the foul) | |||
12:12 | Joe Bamisile misses three point jump shot | |||
12:10 | Isaac Jack defensive rebound | |||
11:53 | +2 | Nate Santos makes two point driving layup | 18-9 | |
11:34 | +2 | Jason Nelson makes two point pullup jump shot | 20-9 | |
11:15 | Kobe Elvis misses three point jump shot | |||
11:14 | Rams defensive rebound | |||
11:14 | TV timeout | |||
10:48 | +3 | Max Shulga makes three point jump shot | 23-9 | |
10:31 | Enoch Cheeks turnover (lost ball) (Jason Nelson steals) | |||
10:21 | Max Shulga misses three point jump shot | |||
10:19 | Enoch Cheeks defensive rebound | |||
10:15 | Enoch Cheeks turnover (bad pass) (Jason Nelson steals) | |||
10:06 | +3 | Jason Nelson makes three point jump shot | 26-9 | |
10:05 | Flyers 30 second timeout | |||
9:52 | Christian Fermin blocks Kobe Elvis's two point jump shot | |||
9:50 | Zeb Jackson defensive rebound | |||
9:24 | Joe Bamisile misses three point jump shot | |||
9:22 | Koby Brea defensive rebound | |||
8:59 | +2 | Koby Brea makes two point layup | 26-11 | |
8:25 | Sean Bairstow misses three point jump shot | |||
8:23 | Kobe Elvis defensive rebound | |||
8:17 | +2 | Enoch Cheeks makes two point layup (Koby Brea assists) | 26-13 | |
7:50 | Petras Padegimas personal foul (Sean Bairstow draws the foul) | |||
7:50 | TV timeout | |||
7:34 | Zeb Jackson misses three point jump shot | |||
7:32 | Enoch Cheeks defensive rebound | |||
7:27 | Kobe Elvis misses three point jump shot | |||
7:25 | Max Shulga defensive rebound | |||
6:56 | Jason Nelson turnover (traveling) | |||
6:46 | +3 | Nate Santos makes three point jump shot (Kobe Elvis assists) | 26-16 | |
6:27 | Enoch Cheeks personal foul (Max Shulga draws the foul) | |||
6:22 | Toibu Lawal offensive foul (Nate Santos draws the foul) | |||
6:22 | Toibu Lawal turnover (offensive foul) | |||
5:55 | Toibu Lawal shooting foul (DaRon Holmes II draws the foul) | |||
5:54 | DaRon Holmes II misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
5:54 | +1 | DaRon Holmes II makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 26-17 | |
5:42 | +2 | Zeb Jackson makes two point jump shot | 28-17 | |
5:29 | Christian Fermin shooting foul (DaRon Holmes II draws the foul) | |||
5:29 | +1 | DaRon Holmes II makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 28-18 | |
5:29 | +1 | DaRon Holmes II makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 28-19 | |
5:06 | +3 | Sean Bairstow makes three point jump shot (Zeb Jackson assists) | 31-19 | |
4:55 | Nate Santos offensive foul (Zeb Jackson draws the foul) | |||
4:55 | Nate Santos turnover (offensive foul) | |||
4:36 | Alphonzo Billups III misses two point pullup jump shot | |||
4:35 | Nate Santos defensive rebound | |||
4:35 | Sean Bairstow personal foul (Nate Santos draws the foul) | |||
4:35 | +1 | Nate Santos makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 31-20 | |
4:35 | +1 | Nate Santos makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 31-21 | |
4:18 | Sean Bairstow turnover (bad pass) | |||
4:08 | Koby Brea offensive foul (Michael Belle draws the foul) | |||
4:08 | Koby Brea turnover (offensive foul) | |||
3:42 | +3 | Kuany Kuany makes three point jump shot (Max Shulga assists) | 34-21 | |
3:20 | Kobe Elvis turnover (bad pass) (Sean Bairstow steals) | |||
3:14 | Zeb Jackson misses two point driving layup | |||
3:12 | Kobe Elvis defensive rebound | |||
3:05 | +2 | Nate Santos makes two point layup | 34-23 | |
2:39 | Zeb Jackson misses three point jump shot | |||
2:37 | Nate Santos defensive rebound | |||
2:29 | +3 | Nate Santos makes three point jump shot (Kobe Elvis assists) | 34-26 | |
2:23 | Rams 30 second timeout | |||
2:23 | TV timeout | |||
2:05 | Enoch Cheeks blocks Kuany Kuany's two point dunk | |||
2:03 | Nate Santos defensive rebound | |||
1:58 | +2 | DaRon Holmes II makes two point dunk (Enoch Cheeks assists) | 34-28 | |
1:43 | Joe Bamisile misses three point jump shot | |||
1:41 | Michael Belle offensive rebound | |||
1:35 | +2 | Michael Belle makes two point layup | 36-28 | |
1:23 | Kuany Kuany blocks DaRon Holmes II's two point layup | |||
1:21 | Michael Belle defensive rebound | |||
1:12 | Michael Belle turnover (lost ball) (Kobe Elvis steals) | |||
1:06 | Max Shulga shooting foul (DaRon Holmes II draws the foul) | |||
1:06 | DaRon Holmes II misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
1:06 | +1 | DaRon Holmes II makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 36-29 | |
0:48 | Max Shulga misses three point jump shot | |||
0:46 | Nate Santos defensive rebound | |||
0:39 | +2 | Nate Santos makes two point cutting layup (Kobe Elvis assists) | 36-31 | |
0:11 | Kobe Elvis shooting foul (Kuany Kuany draws the foul) | |||
0:11 | +1 | Kuany Kuany makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 37-31 | |
0:11 | +1 | Kuany Kuany makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 38-31 | |
0:04 | Michael Belle blocks Enoch Cheeks's three point jump shot | |||
0:02 | Max Shulga defensive rebound | |||
0:00 | End of period |