The contest against Dayton this Thursday is more than just a regular Atlantic 10 conference game for the Massachusetts men’s basketball team – it’s a statement game.
Similar to the Minutemen, Dayton achieved great success in the 2013-2014 season. Unlike UMass, however (which got eliminated in the second round of the NCAA tournament), the 11th seeded Flyers played Cinderella in the tournament, making it to the Elite Eight before falling to top-seeded Florida in the regional final.
However, as the Minutemen haven’t reached the same dominance they had a season ago, the Flyers have picked up right where they have left off, posting an impressive 16-3 record this season and trailing only Virginia Commonwealth University in the A-10 standings with a 6-1 record in conference play.
But when looking at Dayton, it’s hard to overlook its lack of size on the roster. After Devon Scott and Jalen Robinson were dismissed from the team earlier this season, the Flyers have had to switch to a smaller lineup that consists of two players standing 6-foot-6, with the other three starters at 6-foot-4, 6-foot-2, and 6-feet respectively.
UMass big-men Cady Lalanne (6-foot-10) and Maxie Esho (6-foot-9) should be licking their chops, and head coach Derek Kellogg knows his frontcourt will have to take advantage of the smaller Flyer lineup.
“Absolutely,” Kellogg said. “Those two, for us to be good, have to be good every night. Especially when you have the size advantage, or you guys are the biggest guys on the court. They have to realize that (Dayton) is going to be slapping you, whacking you, putting five guys on the floor around you. So that can’t be an excuse of why we aren’t making layups or finishing plays.”
Both Kellogg and Lalanne mentioned the Jan. 14 game against Dayton as a benchmark for playing against smaller teams.
“Just like Davidson we have to establish an inside post position and dominate the paint,” Lalanne said.
Despite the lack of size for the Flyers, they still have three players averaging in double-digits scoring. Jordan Sibert leads the way averaging 15.7 points per game while Dyshawn Pierre (12.7) and Kendall Pollard (11.4) follow closely behind.
Point guard Scoochie Smith organizes the offense for Dayton and is fourth in the conference with 4.2 assists per game. Kellogg described Smith as a typical New-York point guard who drives to the basket and can create plays for himself and other teammates. Kellogg scouted Smith out of high school and has been impressed with the improvements he’s made, especially to his outside shot, as he is a 42.6 percent shooter from 3-point range this season.
Although in a perfect world Kellogg would like to take full advantage of the mismatches inside, he said that he was going to let the flow of the game dictate whether or not the Minutemen play big or go with a smaller lineup to matchup with the Flyers speed.
“They’re playing a low-possession game when you watch them play. That will be the question mark: are we trying to get the game moving or are playing within the context of what they’re trying to do and try to win it that way,” Kellogg said.
Lalanne was quick to point that although he needs to establish his presence early on, he can’t get too flustered and pick up cheap, early fouls, something he’s been guilty of far too often this season.
“It’s kind of tough especially when you are playing against a small team. You have to be aggressive but not overly aggressive, at the offense and defensive end.”
Tip-off from Mullins Center will be at 7 p.m. and will be aired nationally on ESPNU.
Andrew Cyr can be reached at [email protected], and can be followed on Twitter @Andew_Cyr.
