May 19, 2008

The University of Dayton finished in the Top 30 in men's basketball attendance for the 11th straight season in 2007-08, according to a report by the NCAA released last week. The Flyers finished 27th in the NCAA in attendance with an average of 12,479 fans a game. Since UD Arena opened in 1969, Dayton has been in the NCAA`s top 35 in attendance every season.

The Flyers led the Atlantic 10 in attendance for the 12th straight season. UD averaged more than 2,400 fans a game better than any other team in the conference. In conference games only, Dayton averaged 13,220 (up 625 from a year ago).

UD Arena has 85 sellouts in its 38-year history. UD's last 135 regular season home games have had attendance of at least 11,000 fans. In the last 14 years, 99% of UD's home games have drawn at least 10,000 (373 of 375), including the last 172 regular season games.

Dayton was 23-11 in 2007-08, and advanced to the quarterfinals of the NIT, losing to eventual champion Ohio State in Columbus. The Flyers graduated All-Atlantic 10 guard Brian Roberts, but return their next three scorers and top three rebounders - forward Chris Wright (10.4, 5.7), guard Marcus Johnson (10.1, 5.1) and forward Charles Little (8.0, 4.6).

NCAA Division I Men's Top 30 in Attendance

School Avg.

1. Kentucky 22,554

2. North Carolina 20,497

3. Syracuse 20,345

4. Tennessee 20,267

5. Louisville 19,481

6. Maryland 17,950

7. Wisconsin 17,190

8. Arkansas 17,148

9. Indiana 16,876

10. Memphis 16,748

11. Illinois 16,618

12. Ohio State 16,587

13. Kansas 16,409

14. Marquette 16,239

15. Creighton 15,333

16. North Carolina State 15,043

17. Michigan State 14,759

18. New Mexico 14,361

19. Arizona 14,218

20. Texas 13,815

21. Brigham Young 13,518

22. Vanderbilt 13,418

23. Iowa State 13,317

24. Georgetown 12,955

25. Kansas State 12,529

26. Oklahoma State 12,504

27. Dayton 12,479

28. Minnesota 12,452

29. South Carolina 12,346

30. Purdue 12,345