Dayton 56, Boise State 55

There’s no place like home.

Dayton was nearly left for dead a couple of times vs. Boise State, but thanks to a quirk in the bracket, the Flyers were playing in their home arena in their First Four game vs. the Broncos with the home crowd a big help in the 56-55 win. But it didn’t come easy.

Dayton fell behind by nine points at halftime, but a 14-5 run to open the second half allowed the Flyers to get back into the game. Boise State regrouped, and it rebuilt its edge to nine at 50-41 with 6:33 left to play. That’s when the Flyers again battled back, turning to its defense to slow the Broncos.

It worked, and a pair of turnovers by BSU’s Derrick Marks opened the door for Dayton. Jordan Sibert knocked down two free throws, and a 3-pointer with :35 to play put the Flyers up as the home crowd went wild. Neither team would score again, but there’s going to be a lot of chatter about the final play, when Marks pump-faked and got a Dayton defender in the air. Marks drew contact as he shot from beyond the arc, but officials swallowed their whistles, sending Dayton on.

Kendall Pollard led Dayton with 17 points, and Siebert added 13 in the Flyers’ win.

Robert Morris 81, North Florida 77

It’s better to be lucky than good. It’s even better to be lucky AND good.

Lucky Jones scored 20 points and recorded five steals to lead Robert Morris past North Florida 81-77 in the First Four game in Dayton. The Colonials move on to battle the No. 1 seed in the South Region, Duke, on Friday.

Jones was all over the court, scoring 21 points, grabbing seven rebounds, blocking a key shot in the lane late and converting 8-of-12 shots from the free-throw line. But Jones didn’t do it alone. Guard Rodney Pryor added 20 points, and guard Marquise Reed chipped in 19 points on 9-of-17 shooting.

But the win didn’t come easy. North Florida outrebounded RMU, and the Ospreys converted their free throws late to keep the game in striking distance. Turnovers killed North Florida. The Ospreys coughed it up 18 times, negating the team’s fantastic ball movement that led to open looks time and again. Robert Morris just had too much balance and too much Lucky, and RMU didn’t commit a turnover in the second half. That poise helped the Colonials move on in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 32.