DAYTON, Ohio -- Jalen Crutcher banged knees with a North Texas player and went down hard in the second half. But just as the Flyers have done all season, he was back in place for the big shot at the end.
Crutcher scored 16 points and hit a comeback-blunting three-pointer Tuesday night, Ryan Mikesell also had 16 points, and No. 13 Dayton finally shook free at the end for a 71-58 victory over North Texas.
The Flyers (9-1) took the court with their highest ranking since December 1968, when they made it as high as No. 6. A sloppy second half -- eight turnovers -- kept it close.
"Part of the growth I want to see us make as a team," Coach Anthony Grant said. "They turned the pressure up and we made some poor decisions."
North Texas (4-7) -- which hosts UAPB on Saturday -- cut the lead to nine with six minutes left, but Crutcher hit an unguarded three-pointer that blunted the comeback as the Mean Green fell short in their bid for a fourth all-time victory over a ranked team.
Crutcher bumped his left knee with a North Texas player early in the second half and sat out for several minutes before returning and steadying Dayton down the stretch. The Flyers allowed North Texas to stay in it by turning the ball over and allowing the Mean Green open shots.
"In the second half, they're a team that's desperate and they made some threes," Crutcher said.
Javion Hamlet had 19 points, and Zachary Simmons added 18 points and a team-high six rebounds for North Texas. After missing all four of its shots from the three-point line in the first half, North Texas went 9 of 15 in the second half.
The Mean Green tied the school record with 19 three-pointers during their last game, a 23-point victory over UALR. Dayton extended its defense and made sure there would be no repeat. The Mean Green missed six of their first seven shots -- only one from beyond the arc -- while Dayton pulled ahead 14-2.
The Flyers' surge stalled, and North Texas kept it within single digits most of the half. Obi Toppin and Mikesell hit 3s during a late first-half run that built the lead to 16 points.
The Mean Green made four three-pointers in a row -- each by a different player -- to open the second half and eventually cut it to 57-48 on Umoja Gibson's three-pointer. Crutcher's open three-pointer from the corner blunted the comeback. North Texas turned it over twice in the final minute to help Dayton put it away.
The game took on an edge during an inbounds play in the second half, with players jawing at each other. The referees separated the teams and gave technical fouls to North Texas' James Reese and Dayton's Trey Landers.
The Flyers came in with the best field goal percentage in Division I (54%) and the most assists (20.1) per game. Against North Texas, they shot 50% from the field and had 20 assists on 24 baskets.
NO. 5 OHIO STATE 84,
SE MISSOURI STATE 48
Kaleb Wesson had 18 points and 10 rebounds as No. 5 Ohio State bounced back from its first loss of the season and beat Southeast Missouri State in Columbus, Ohio.
Ohio State (10-1) was playing two days after it dropped an 84-71 decision at Minnesota. That loss led to the Buckeyes dropping from third to fifth in this week's AP Top 25.
The Buckeyes played their second consecutive game without sophomore guard Duane Washington Jr., who was sidelined with an apparent rib injury. Washington is the team's second-leading scorer at 11.4 points per game.
Andre Wesson scored 14 points, while Kyle Young and D.J. Carton each had 10 points for the Buckeyes.
D.Q. Nicholas and Isaiah Gable each had 10 points for Southeast Missouri State (3-8).
NO. 19 FLORIDA STATE 98, NORTH FLORIDA 81
Balsa Koprivica scored 15 points and fellow big man Dominik Olejniczak added 11 as No. 19 Florida State defeated North Florida in Tallahassee, Fla.
The 7-footers were able to capitalize on their height advantage, making shots in the lane and leading the Seminoles to a 39-27 rebounding edge. Koprivica was 6 of 8 from the floor, while Olejniczak went 5 for 7.
M.J. Walker had 11 points, one of seven Seminoles with 10 or more points. Florida State (9-2) has won 12 consecutive home games in a streak that dates to last season.
Ivan Gandia-Rosa scored 23 points, knocking down four three-pointers, for North Florida (7-6). Garrett Sams added 20 points, also making four threes.
North Florida came into the game with 149 made three-pointers, which led Division I. The Ospreys shot 13 of 34 (38.2%) from beyond the arc.
Sports on 12/18/2019