DAYTON, Ohio – In a thrilling contest, the Dayton Flyers emerged victorious against the Duquesne Dukes with a close score of 77-76 on Saturday. Enoch Cheeks led the charge for Dayton, contributing 19 points while Malachi Smith secured the win by sinking a free throw just six seconds before the final buzzer.

Cheeks had a strong all-around performance, not only scoring but also grabbing five rebounds and securing three steals for the Flyers, who improved their record to 18 wins against 8 losses, including 8 wins in the Atlantic 10 Conference. Zed Key also stood out, adding 18 points to the team’s total while shooting an impressive 6 of 7 from the field and a perfect 6 of 6 from the free-throw line, along with six rebounds. Smith finished the game with 12 points, making 4 of 6 shots from the field and converting 3 of his 4 free-throw attempts.

On the opposing side, Tre Dinkins was the leading scorer for the Dukes, putting up 21 points and making two steals. Matus Hronsky supported the effort with 16 points, while Jahsean Corbett contributed 11 points and made two steals.

In a dramatic finish, Key’s two free throws extended Dayton’s lead to five points with just 20 seconds left in the game. However, Dinkins responded by hitting a crucial three-pointer, and shortly after, Cam Crawford managed to steal the ball from Smith and scored a layup to tie the game at 76 with only seven seconds on the clock. Smith was fouled on the next play and converted one of his two free throws, thereby securing the final score.

Despite a valiant effort from Duquesne, Dinkins missed a three-point attempt at the buzzer which could have snatched victory away from Dayton.

Cheeks ignited the Flyers in the first half with 12 points, although they entered halftime with a slight deficit at 44-40. Key added another 12 points in the second half, helping the Flyers close the gap and eventually outscore Duquesne by five points in the final half.

Looking ahead, Dayton will take on Loyola Chicago in their next game scheduled for Friday, while Duquesne will host Fordham on Wednesday.