Dayton @ Saint Joseph's preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 29, 2019 ) St. Joseph's 64, Dayton 75

No. 18 Dayton ended a four-game losing streak at La Salle last time out and will try to end a nine-game, regular-season road losing streak to Saint Joseph's on Sunday. The Flyers lost just two non-conference games, both in overtime at neutral sites against No. 3 Kansas and Colorado before opening Atlantic 10 Conference play by shooting 53 percent in an 84-58 rout of the Explorers on Thursday.

Dayton is quietly becoming one of the best teams in the country, leading the nation in 2-point percentage at 62.8, ranking third in offensive efficiency (115 points per 100 possessions) while shooting 38.7 percent beyond the arc - 17th in the nation. “They’re a really good team. Great chemistry. They play with great pace. Until you see it live, you don’t really get a feel for it," La Salle coach Ashley Howard said." It’s hard to simulate." The Flyers, who allowed only three 3-pointers on 17 attempts against La Salle, were led by Obi Toppin with 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting, seven rebounds and four assists. It has been a rough start for first-year coach Billy Lange, who is replacing legendary coach Phil Martelli, and his first conference game didn't go very well either, as the Hawks were beaten 84-52 at Richmond on Thursday.

TIME: 1 p.m. ET. TV: No TV

ABOUT DAYTON (12-2, 1-0 Atlantic 10): The Flyers have a star too in the 6-9 sophomore Toppin, who averages 19.8 points on 63 percent shooting, 7.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and better than a block and steal per contest. “I'm going with Toppin at No. 1 (player of the year candidate right now) because I suspect if we sat down with the preseason versions of ourselves and said, oh, by the way, Dayton might earn a top-four seed, we would be amazed," ESPN analyst John Gasaway wrote Friday. "Yet it's happening, and there's zero doubt that Toppin is the reason for it." Jalen Crutcher runs the show, averaging 13.1 points and five assists while shooting 40 percent from the arc, and wing Ibi Watson averages 11.2 points and shoots 3-pointers at a 48 percent clip.

ABOUT SAINT JOSEPH'S (3-10, 0-1): Cameron Brown (7.2 points) was the only player in double figures with 11 points against the Spiders, while star guard Ryan Daly (19.8) was held to eight points and committed six turnovers. Daly, a 6-5 junior, leads the team in scoring, rebounds (7.9), assists (4.5) and steals (1.1). Daly, a native of Philadelphia, spent two years at Delaware, averaging 16.7 points and 6.9 rebounds with the Blue Hens before sitting out last year as a transfer.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Toppin is ranked No. 7 in the KenPom Player of the Year standings. Duke freshman Vernon Carey is the leader.

2.The Hawks struggle on defense, allowing 39.3 percent on 3-pointers while forcing turnovers on only 15.2 percent of possessions - both among bottom 10 in the nation - and allow 106.6 points per 100 possessions - 308th in the country.

3. Daly takes 32.4 percent of the Hawks' shots - 44th highest percentage in the nation - and has an assist rate of 34.3 percent, which ranks 45th in Division I.

PREDICTION: Dayton 82, Saint Joseph's 62