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Team: Dayton Flyers
Conference: Atlantic-10 Conference
Coach: Archie Miller
Record: 25-7, 14-4 in conference
KenPom Rank: 53
Good wins: Over Iowa, Monmouth; at Vanderbilt, over VCU at home.
Bad losses: a 3-point loss at LaSalle.
Impact Players: Dyshawn Pierre is 6'6" senior who was a huge part of last year's Sweet Sixteen run; he's undersized but leas the team in rebounds and is excellent at the free throw line and from beyond the arc. Junior guards Scoochie Smith and Charles Cooke add steals and blocks (respectively) and perimeter shooting punch for the defensive-minded Flyers.
How did they get in?: Dayton finished second in the Atlantic-10 and was ranked as high as 15 in the country before losing two straight to St. Joseph's and St. Bonaventure.
How far can this team go in the NCAA Tournament?: Last year's team went to the Sweet Sixteen. But that team was better offensively and played their starting five for most of the game. This year's squad forced fewer turnovers, but never count the experienced Flyers - or their coach Archie Miller - out. They are a tight defensive unit, especially inside the arc, and can ride that defense into the Sweet Sixteen or Elite Eight.
Last time in the NCAA Tournament: 2015.