Cincinnati Visits Dayton After Buzzer-Beater Loss
The Bearcats face the Flyers at UD Arena on Saturday, a rematch of the last three seasons' meetings between the rivals.
Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Basketball
Cincinnati (2-1) travels to play Dayton (1-2) at UD Arena on Saturday, one day after a 63-61 loss to Minnesota decided by a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. Dayton has dropped back-to-back home games to Northern Illinois and Siena, with Siena scoring 99 points against the Flyers on Tuesday.
Why it matters
The game comes after Cincinnati blew a seven-point late lead against Minnesota, and Dayton is looking to stop a slide at home. Cincinnati and Dayton have met in each of the last three seasons, with the Bearcats winning two of those contests.
Tylen Riley is averaging 12.0 points and 3.7 assists per game, while Aiden Derkack is averaging 22.0 points and 10.3 rebounds per game for Cincinnati. Dayton's Amal L'Etang, a 7-foot-1 center, averages 15.0 points per game, and Tristian Ford is shooting 61.5 percent from three.
The players
Amal L'Etang
Dayton's 7-foot-1 center, who leads the Flyers in scoring and is a key interior presence for the team.
Tylen Riley
Cincinnati guard who scored 25 points on 6-of-9 three-point shooting in the loss to Minnesota.
Aiden Derkack
Cincinnati forward averaging 22.0 points and 10.3 rebounds per game this season.
The details
Cincinnati will lean on Amani Lyles and its frontcourt rotation to contain Dayton's L'Etang inside. Riley scored 25 points on 6-of-9 three-point shooting in the loss to Minnesota, and the Bearcats will look to build on that offensive output.
Timeline
December 4, 2004: Cincinnati won 65-55 over Dayton at UD Arena, its last win in that building.
Monday: Cincinnati lost 63-61 to Minnesota on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer.
Tuesday: Siena scored 99 points against Dayton.
Saturday: Cincinnati plays at Dayton.
Season Trajectory
Cincinnati's 2-1 start and Dayton's 1-2 start leave both teams early in a season where the Bearcats' late-game execution against Minnesota will be tested on the road. Dayton's home losses to Northern Illinois and Siena put pressure on the Flyers to regain footing before conference play.
Fantasy managers tracking Riley and Derkack should note the Bearcats' lineup stability heading into the game, with Hastings' status still unconfirmed. Fans planning to attend should expect a rivalry-style environment given the teams' recent meetings.
The takeaway
Early-season games like this one often turn on late-game execution, and Cincinnati's close loss to Minnesota shows how small margins can decide a result.
What happens next
Cincinnati and Dayton play Saturday at UD Arena, with tip-off set for the day after the game was previewed.
Further reading
For more on the teams in this matchup, browse Basketball coverage on Wisevoter.
Source note: This article includes information reported by [your]NEWS - Freddy Peralta to make Rays' debut vs. Rockies - The Tampa Bay Rays were active right up to Monday night's trade deadline, and their most significant addition is set to debut with his new team on Tuesday. Right-hander Freddy Peralta (5-9, 4.99 ERA), acquired from the New York Mets on Sunday, will be on the mound when Tampa Bay plays the second contest of.
