Dayton AD happy with 13-game non-conference slate; ‘We feel it’s a monster schedule’

University of Dayton Athletic Director Neil Sullivan doesn’t typically rank the non-conference men’s basketball schedules he annually constructs for the Dayton Flyers, but he referred to the latest lineup as a “monster schedule.”

Flyer fans would likely place it among the top, if not the best, non-conference schedules in recent years.

“This is the best non-conference schedule Dayton has put together in at least a decade,” noted Dan Sullivan, former host of the Talking Out Lowd podcast, on X (formerly Twitter).

Another fan, Chris Pyle, expressed that this impressive schedule reflects the Flyers’ strong belief in their team this year. “This is a confident schedule.”

Dayton supporter Chris King added, “We’re going to see how good this team is early on. Great job by Neil and his team with this schedule. It’s a masterclass.”

So, what makes this 13-game 2024-25 schedule notable, even with one matchup against a Division III team, Capital University? Here are a couple of highlights:

• Four known opponents ranked in the top 80 of the NCAA Evaluation Tool last season: No. 14 Marquette, No. 37 Cincinnati, No. 53 Northwestern, and No. 76 UNLV.

• Potential opponents in the Maui Invitational all ranked within the top 75 of NET last season: No. 2 Connecticut, No. 5 Auburn, No. 6 Iowa State, No. 8 North Carolina, No. 24 Michigan State, No. 25 Colorado, and No. 75 Memphis.

• The non-conference schedule could feature up to eight top-100 teams. Last season, Dayton faced seven, which was already considered one of the best recent schedules. The non-conference schedules for 2021-22 and 2022-23 each included five top-100 teams.

Neil Sullivan, who has been the athletic director at UD since 2015, emphasized in April that “our schedule needs to be elite,” and the 2024-25 schedule is positioned to help Dayton compete for a second consecutive NCAA tournament at-large bid. Dayton earned a No. 7 seed in 2024 largely due to three Quadrant 1 victories against St. John’s, Northwestern, and Southern Methodist in non-conference play.

Sullivan expressed satisfaction with the schedule but noted that their approach to scheduling has been consistently focused on building a strong resume to be recognized among the top 30 teams nationally. He acknowledged that while the concept is straightforward, its execution is challenging due to the need for cooperation from other teams.

Sullivan has frequently highlighted the difficulties in scheduling. In 2019, he noted that the scheduling environment was more challenging than ever, with numerous rejections from other NCAA at-large contenders, including teams from the Power 5 conferences and the Big East.

Despite recent success in securing games against teams from the Big Ten and Big East, Sullivan doesn’t believe the process has become easier. He pointed out that as conferences consolidate and expand their schedules, it remains a challenge to schedule games.

Dayton’s success in non-conference play is often linked to their performance in November tournaments. In the past six instances where Dayton earned an at-large bid, they finished 2-1 in those early-season events. A 1-2 record in the 2024 Maui Invitational wouldn’t be disastrous, given the opportunities for other strong non-conference wins.

Looking ahead, Sullivan acknowledges that the landscape of November tournaments is evolving. Events like the Players Era Festival, which offers financial benefits tied to name, image, and likeness (NIL) activities, could influence Dayton’s future scheduling decisions. The inaugural Players Era Festival in Las Vegas will feature teams such as Alabama, Houston, and Creighton, with the 2025 field expanding to 18 teams.

Sullivan recognizes that the tournament environment is changing significantly and is keeping a close eye on these developments. Although Dayton’s strong basketball performance and fan base position them well, the scheduling landscape may look different in the coming years.

Dayton’s 2024-25 Non-Conference Schedule:

• Sunday, Oct. 20: Xavier (Exhibition), UD Arena, Time TBD
• Saturday, Oct. 26: TBD (Exhibition), UD Arena, Time TBD
• Monday, Nov. 4: Saint Francis (Pa.), UD Arena, Time TBD
• Saturday, Nov. 9: Northwestern, UD Arena, Time TBD
• Wednesday, Nov. 13: Ball State, UD Arena, Time TBD
• Saturday, Nov. 16: Capital, UD Arena, Time TBD
• Wednesday, Nov. 20: New Mexico State, UD Arena, Time TBD
• Monday, Nov. 25: Maui Invitational, Lahaina, Hawaii
• Tuesday, Nov. 26: Maui Invitational, Lahaina, Hawaii
• Wednesday, Nov. 27: Maui Invitational, Lahaina, Hawaii
• Tuesday, Dec. 3: Western Michigan, UD Arena, Time TBD
• Saturday, Dec. 7: Lehigh, UD Arena, Time TBD
• Saturday, Dec. 14: Marquette, UD Arena, Time TBD
• Tuesday, Dec. 17: UNLV, UD Arena, Time TBD
• Friday, Dec. 20: Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, Time TBD