CHICAGO (Interstat) — In a game defined by defensive pressure and critical free throws, the Dayton Flyers escaped the Joseph Gentile Center with a narrow 70-68 victory over the Loyola Chicago Ramblers in an Atlantic 10 Conference men’s basketball game on Saturday.

The contest, a tense affair that saw 10 lead changes and was tied on nine occasions, was ultimately decided at the foul line in the final seconds. Dayton’s Javon Bennett sank two free throws with 14 seconds remaining to give the Flyers a 70-66 lead. Loyola Chicago’s Kymany Houinsou answered with two of his own with eight seconds left, cutting the deficit to two.

On the ensuing inbounds play, Dayton successfully navigated the Ramblers’ full-court pressure, and Bennett sealed the win with a layup at the two-second mark, providing the final margin.

The most pivotal sequence of the game, however, occurred in the closing minutes with Dayton clinging to a one-point lead. Over a crucial three-minute span, the Flyers’ defense forced four consecutive Loyola Chicago turnovers, part of a staggering 15 giveaways by the Ramblers for the game. Dayton converted those miscues into 18 points, a decisive 11-point advantage in that category that offset Loyola Chicago’s superior shooting from the field.

Dayton improved to 11-3 overall and 1-0 in conference play, while Loyola Chicago fell to 5-10 and 0-1.

The Flyers won despite being outshot 42.4% to 37.5% from the field and being outrebounded 39-32, including a 13-6 disadvantage on the offensive glass. The difference came in efficiency and ball security. Dayton committed only five turnovers and capitalized on its trips to the free throw line, making 21 of 25 attempts. Loyola Chicago attempted just five free throws, making three.

De’Shayne Montgomery led all scorers with 20 points for Dayton, adding two rebounds and a block. His backcourt mate, Javon Bennett, was equally instrumental, scoring a team-high 24 points and dishing out four assists. The duo combined for 44 of Dayton’s 70 points.

Loyola Chicago was led by Justin Moore’s 19 points and five assists. Kayde Dotson added 16 points, and Miles Rubin posted a double-double with 10 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks, anchoring the Ramblers’ interior defense.

The first half was a back-and-forth affair, with Loyola Chicago building its largest lead at seven points following a Dotson 3-pointer that made it 29-22 with just over six minutes remaining. Dayton closed the half on a 9-2 run, capped by a Jaiun Simon layup at the buzzer, to tie the game at 39-39 heading into the break.

The second half followed a similar pattern. The Ramblers again built a small lead, going up 55-50 near the midway point after a Miles Rubin hook shot. Dayton responded with a 7-0 run, fueled by its defensive pressure, to retake the lead and set the stage for the frantic finish.

Dayton’s offensive rating of 104.7 points per 100 possessions narrowly bested Loyola Chicago’s 96.6, reflecting the Flyers’ ability to generate more scoring opportunities from fewer possessions due to their stark advantage in turnover margin.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, Dayton entered with a 73.7% probability to win. The Flyers failed to cover the pregame spread of -8.5 points. The total score of 138 fell under the over/under line of 143.5.

Dayton will look to build on the conference road win when it hosts George Washington on Tuesday. Loyola Chicago aims to rebound at home against Davidson on Wednesday.