2010 NIT Basketball Tournament: Dayton vs Cincinnati

So now, only now, are the Dayton Flyers playing with confidence.

Such a reality will, on one level, sting the supporters of the Atlantic 10's most disappointing team in 2010, but for the moment, that somewhat bitter truth should be accepted with a smile and a small degree of satisfaction. After all, beating an in-state rival is always fun and significant.

Yes, Dayton is playing without pressure now that the NCAA Tournament has eluded its grasp. As long as a spot in the Big Dance was up for grabs, coach Brian Gregory's group plainly shriveled in the face of late-season stress and anxiety. Now that the lower-key NIT has arrived, it seems as though the Flyers are just going to the gym and playing ball. Interestingly enough, they're thriving as a result, and Monday night's authoritative win in Cincinnati offered proof of this team's newly relaxed demeanor.

Shooting is very much a matter of mindset. Yes, shooting requires good form and technique, but without confidence, shots don't drop. A freedom from fear - and from worries about the negative consequences of a missed shot - have to be ingrained in a player's mind when the ball is released. Dayton squeezed too hard in the stretch run of its season, as UD squandered late leads and allowed itself to become paralyzed in crunch time. Now, though, the smooth and easy form that marked this team's November-December run is returning, and the Cincinnati Bearcats were the unfortunate victims of this dynamic inside their home building, Fifth Third Arena.

Dayton hit eight of its first 12 3-pointers on Monday and bolted to a 34-17 lead before anyone's seat was warm. The Flyers have always owned a considerable amount of talent, and on this occasion in the NIT's round of 16, the less-heralded Ohio-based program put the pieces together. The upstart from the A-10 was able to take down its big brother from the Big East and register a meaningful accomplishment that will take some sting out of missing the NCAA Tournament.

To be perfectly honest, a Dayton team that has blown big leads all year long blew most of its early 17-point bulge in this tilt. Cincinnati used the end of the first half and the first three and a half minutes of the second stanza to trim UD's lead to 44-43 with 16:29 left in regulation. However, the Bearcats - who are extremely athletic yet lack good pure shooters - encountered a cold spell at the worst possible time. From the 11:08 mark until the 5:06 mark of regulation, coach Mike Cronin's kids did not hit a single field goal attempt and mustered a meager three points. Dayton - which began to feel the heat for several minutes - relaxed in the face of the UC drought and scored 11 points in that six-minute span to re-establish a 63-53 lead and a comfortable working margin. Cincinnati made no credible response after that stretch, and the Flyers flew on to the NIT quarterfinals.

WHAT'S NEXT

Dayton would have hosted the NIT quarterfinals if Kent State had knocked off top-seeded Illinois in Monday's other second round game from this particular subregional. However, the Illini stopped the Golden Flashes and earned one more home date in the round of eight. Illinois will host Dayton Wednesday night in Champaign, Ill., for the right to go to New York and participate in the NIT's own final four.

Atlantic 10 Conference Basketball Tournament

NIT Second Round Recap - Dayton vs Cincinnati

WHAT'S NEXT