NCAA Tournament: No. 11 Dayton delivers upset to No. 6 Providence
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Dyshawn Pierre scored 20 points and Dayton rode a loud home-state advantage to another NCAA Tournament victory, beating Providence 66-53 Friday night.
The 11th-seeded Flyers (27-8) will face Oklahoma on Sunday night, with a chance to reach the round of 16 for the second straight season.
Sixth-seeded Providence (22-12) could not overcome early foul trouble on Big East player of the year Kris Dunn or a Dayton team buoyed by a legion of fans that made the 80-mile trip to Columbus. Dunn finished with 11 points before fouling out. LaDontae Henton had 18.
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Dayton was playing its fifth game in eight days after reaching the final of the Atlantic 10 Tournament on Sunday in New York, then winning a First Four game against Boise State on its home court Wednesday.
Jordan Sibert, who made the key late 3 that helped Dayton rally to beat Boise State, scored 15 points.
The Flyers have been the busiest team in the country lately, so they might not have minded the 10:53 ET tip-off. Anything to get a little extra rest. Though both teams played as if it was past their bedtimes in the first 11 minutes. With nine minutes left in the first half, Dayton was up 9-5.
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It didn't help Providence that Dunn picked up two fouls in the first five minutes and took a seat for a while.
Things picked up in the final eight minutes, with Henton and Sibert trading late 3s to send Dayton to the break with a 28-25 lead.
Dayton stretched its lead to 44-35 with 10:21 left when Kyle Davis and Pierre hit back-to-back 3s. Providence chipped away, but Sibert responded with another 3 to make it 47-41 with 6:08 left.
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Flyers fan decked out in red packed Nationwide Arena and had "Let's Go Flyers!" ringing through the rafters.
Providence coach Ed Cooley said on Thursday he didn't mind playing a virtual road game, and that's what he got. Providence shot seven free throws. Dayton shot 30. The place rocked when Pierre swished another 3 with 4:28 left to make it 50-42. It is doubtful Ohio State would have had any more of an advantage in Columbus.
Then Cooley got hit with a technical during a timeout, after his chair fell over. Providence assistants pleaded with officials that it was a harmless accident, but they couldn't talk Cooley out of the T.
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Pierre put it away with 1:59 left, spinning free inside, getting fouled and letting out a scream before completing the three-point play to make it 56-42.
TIP INS
Coach Archie Miller, the brother of Arizona coach Sean Miller, led the Flyers to the Elite Eight last year.
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UP NEXT
Dayton moves on to face the third-seeded Sooners in what will their sixth game in 10 days.
Providence is done after its first NCAA tournament game for the second straight season.