PEORIA, Ill. (Interstat) — Javon Bennett scored 25 points and Dayton used a dominant first half to build an insurmountable lead, cruising to an 80-66 victory over Bradley in a men’s NCAA Division I basketball game Wednesday night at Carver Arena.

A crowd of 2,436 watched the Flyers improve to 24-10 overall, while the Braves fell to 21-13. Dayton was efficient throughout, scoring 80 points on just 61 possessions for an offensive rating of 131.4, while Bradley managed only 108.8 points per 100 possessions.

The most important stretch of the game came early, as Dayton established immediate control. After Bradley’s Ahmet Jonovic opened the scoring with a hook shot, the Flyers responded with a 15-2 run over the next four minutes, fueled by Bennett’s sharp shooting. The junior guard from Orlando, Florida, hit two 3-pointers during the surge, the second off a steal by De’Shayne Montgomery, who finished the play with a dunk to put Dayton up 17-4.

Bradley struggled to find any offensive rhythm against Dayton’s disciplined defense. The Braves committed 10 turnovers, which Dayton converted into 12 points, while the Flyers gave the ball away only four times. That disparity, combined with Dayton’s hot shooting, allowed the visitors to build a 47-30 halftime lead. The Flyers shot 52% from the field in the opening period, including 5 of 10 from 3-point range, while holding Bradley to 39% shooting.

Bennett was the catalyst, scoring 18 of his game-high 25 points before the break. His step-back 3-pointer just before the halftime buzzer, followed by a technical free throw, capped the half and sent Dayton to the locker room with all momentum.

The second half offered little drama, as Dayton’s lead never dipped below 14 points. Bradley made several pushes, cutting the deficit to 57-45 on a 3-pointer by Alex Huibregtse with 10:33 remaining, but Dayton answered each time. Bryce Heard, who finished with 12 points off the bench, responded with a 3-pointer on the next possession to stifle the rally.

Huibregtse led Bradley with 19 points, including five 3-pointers, and added three assists. Montana Wheeler contributed 10 points and four assists for the Braves. But Bradley could not overcome its early deficit or match Dayton’s offensive execution.

The Flyers shot 52% for the game, making 9 of 18 from beyond the arc. They were also nearly flawless from the free-throw line, converting 21 of 25 attempts. Montgomery supported Bennett with 14 points, while Amael L’Etang, the 7-foot-1 center from Toulouse, France, added 11 points and a game-high seven rebounds.

Dayton’s ball movement and defensive pressure were key, as they tallied five assists and five steals. The Flyers also outscored Bradley 34-24 in the paint despite being out-rebounded on the offensive glass 7-3.

The victory marked a bounce-back performance for Dayton, which had lost two of its last three games, including a defeat at VCU on Sunday. Bradley, which had won three of its last four, saw its hopes of a late-season statement win dashed by Dayton’s early onslaught.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, Dayton entered with a 53.6% probability to win and covered the pregame spread of 1.5 points. The total score of 146 surpassed the over/under line of 140.