Toppin's 28 points help Dayton cruise past Duquesne for 16th straight win
DAYTON, Ohio (AP) Obi Toppin had 28 points as No. 5 Dayton won its 16th game in a row, beating Duquesne 80-70 on Saturday.
Jalen Crutcher added 17 points and five assists for the Flyers (25-2, 14-0 Atlantic 10), who have yet to lose in regulation this season.
Toppin, a redshirt sophomore and potential first-round NBA draft choice, was 11 for 16 from the field, including 3 for 5 from beyond the 3-point arc. He topped 1,000 points for his career with an emphatic dunk in the second half.
Sincere Carry had 21 points and six assists for Duquesne (18-8, 8-6).
The Flyers again grappled with another conference opponent until pulling away late.
The game was tied a dozen times in the first half, with Duquesne holding a 38-36 lead at the intermission. Toppin had 16 points in the first half and narrowed Duquesne's lead to two with a dunk at the buzzer.
A 3-pointer by Chatman and a dunk by Toppin gave the Flyers a 12-point lead and momentum with 11:14 to play. Dayton went up by 17 on a pair of foul shots from Crutcher and Trey Landers' 3-pointer. The Dukes got as close as eight late in the game before they had to start fouling.
BIG PICTURE
Duquesne: The Dukes put up a good fight in the first half but got buried when the Flyers started hitting critical shots in the second half.
Dayton: The Flyers keep soaring in their best start in school history. Toppin continues to show he is among the best players in the nation. Barring a complete collapse, the Flyers should be force in the NCAA Tournament, which they haven't played in since 2017.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
With No. 3 Kansas' win over No. 1 Baylor, there likely will be some movement at the top of the poll but it may not ripple down to Dayton.
UP NEXT
Duquesne: At St. Bonaventure on Wednesday.
Dayton: At George Mason on Tuesday.
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