- Matchup: Dayton Flyers vs UNC Wilmington Seahawks
- Date: Saturday, March 21, 2026
- Venue: Trask Coliseum, Wilmington, NC
- Broadcast: ESPN+
- Betting Odds: Dayton (-2)
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This Saturday, the Dayton Flyers (23-11) will travel to Trask Coliseum to face off against the UNC Wilmington Seahawks (26-6) in the second round of the NIT tournament. The Seahawks are opening this matchup as 2-point underdogs according to sportsbooks, with the total set at 139 points.
In their previous outing, the Dayton Flyers secured a victory over Bradley with a score of 80-66. The Flyers accumulated 16 personal fouls, while Bradley recorded 18. Dayton successfully converted 10 out of 22 three-point attempts, and Bradley achieved a free throw percentage of 71.4%, making 10 of 14 attempts. The Flyers allowed Bradley to gather 29 rebounds (7 offensive, 22 defensive) but did not block any shots. Bradley tallied 13 assists but did not secure any steals, while Dayton allowed their opponent to shoot 45.1% from the field on 23 of 51 shooting. The Flyers registered 12 assists and forced 10 turnovers, alongside 5 steals themselves. Rebounding proved beneficial for Dayton, who gained 24 total rebounds (3 offensive). At the free-throw line, Dayton hit 21 of 25 attempts for an impressive 84.0% success rate. Ultimately, the Flyers achieved a field goal percentage of 52.1% (25 of 48) and made 9 of their 18 three-point shots.
Javon Bennett stood out in the matchup, shooting 61.5% from the field with 2 assists. In his 35 minutes on the court, he scored 25 points on 8 of 13 shooting.
Dayton heads into this game with a record of 23-11 this season. The team averages 12.0 turnovers per game and commits 16.7 personal fouls. The Flyers secure an average of 32.9 rebounds per game and have amassed 487 assists this season, ranking 115th nationally in assists. Their shooting from three-point range stands at 34.1% (258 out of 756), and they have a free throw percentage of 75.1%. Dayton scores an average of 74.4 points per game (223rd in the nation) while hitting 44.6% of their field goals.
Defensively, the Flyers force 14.6 turnovers per game and draw 20.4 fouls. Opponents score 35.6% from three-point range against them, and they rank 71st in Division 1 for points allowed per game at 69.9. Dayton allows a field goal percentage of 43.6% (815 out of 1,870) and concedes an average of 33.9 rebounds per game, ranking them 139th nationally for assists allowed, with 416 this season.
In their most recent game, the UNC Wilmington Seahawks edged out a win with a score of 68-67 against Yale. The Seahawks allowed Yale to gather a total of 48 rebounds (20 offensive). They shot 29.6% from three-point range (8 of 27) and made 9 of 22 free throw attempts (40.9%). Yale converted 25 out of 67 shots from the floor, giving a shooting percentage of 37.3%. Ultimately, the Seahawks went 25 for 69 from the field, achieving a shooting percentage of 36.2%. From beyond the arc, UNC Wilmington made 10 of 26 attempts (38.5%). They capitalized at the free-throw line with an accuracy of 57.1%. Yale committed 15 personal fouls, allowing the Seahawks to attempt 14 free throws. The Seahawks turned the ball over 8 times and secured 4 steals, grabbing a total of 47 rebounds (29 defensive and 18 offensive).
Christian May contributed significantly for the Seahawks, shooting 5 of 14 with a field goal percentage of 35.7%, collecting 8 rebounds, and finishing with 16 points during his 33 minutes on the court, along with 2 assists.
UNC Wilmington boasts a season record of 26-6. Offensively, the Seahawks are hitting 44.6% of their shots, ranking 217th nationally. They’ve totaled 2,465 points this year (77.0 per game) and grab 40.0 rebounds per contest. They average 13.5 assists per game (204th in the nation) and turn the ball over 10 times per game. The Seahawks commit an average of 17.2 personal fouls while shooting 68.7% from the free-throw line.
Defensively, UNC Wilmington allows 29.6% from three-point range (232 out of 784) and opponents hit 74.8% of their free throw attempts. They allow 10.9 assists and 32.9 rebounds per game, ranking 21st and 83rd in Division 1. Additionally, the Seahawks rank 38th nationally for points allowed per game at 67.7. They force 10.3 turnovers per game and limit opponents to a field goal percentage of 40.6% (25th in the country).
Who will prevail in tonight’s NCAA matchup against the spread?
Prediction: Take Dayton (-2)
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