COLUMBUS — Rare is the game that actually involves multiple subplots this late in a season, particularly when the teams involved are just 10 days removed from having to settle for berths in the NIT.
When Dayton (23-10) comes to Ohio State (21-13) tonight for a quarterfinal matchup, the winner gets an all-expenses paid trip to the Big Apple to play on the hallowed hardwood at Madison Square Garden. That in itself ups the ante.
But when you consider bragging rights, the history of the teams and the fact that both still carry sizable chips on their shoulders from being left out of the NCAAs, the game is far more than just a win-to-survive battle in a secondary tournament.
“It’s an interesting game because of Ohio State and Dayton and the great traditions in both programs,” Dayton coach Brian Gregory said. “At the same time, there’s a lot at stake here.”
The schools haven’t met in basketball since 1988, in large part because Ohio State, the big bully within the state’s borders, grew tired of facing teams who wanted nothing more than to knock the Buckeyes down a peg or two.
It doesn’t sound like coach Thad Matta is any hurry to start filling out his schedule with in-state teams, either.
Consider this exchange on Tuesday between reporters and Matta:
Would you consider scheduling Dayton during the regular season?
“I don’t know.”
Do you like in-state matchups?
“It depends.”
Would you consider playing another Ohio college every year?
“Possibly, yes. Honestly, it depends.”
How about next season?
“I don’t know. Could be. The reason we don’t play Ohio teams is (so) that I don’t have to answer all these questions all the time. This is why I’m not doing this. We play one and you want two, we play two and you want three.”
Matta laughed to try to show he was kidding, but it also appeared he was chuckling through gritted teeth.
Matt Terwilliger, an Ohio State senior who grew up 18 miles up the road from Dayton in Troy, recognizes that the game takes on a different temperature because of both teams’ rabid fans and because of the finality of the showdown.
“I know from people around here it’s going to be pretty serious because we haven’t played since, what, the ’80s?,” he said. “The fans kind of realize as well as we do that this could be our final time out on the floor. So we’re taking that into consideration every time we go out there.”
Both teams feel they were wronged by the NCAA Tournament selection committee, but for vastly different reasons.
The Flyers finished tied for seventh in the Atlantic 10, but three of their losses came to Sweet 16 qualifier Xavier. In addition, almost all of their 10 setbacks came when they were without 6-foot-8 freshman star Chris Wright, out since Jan. 9 with a broken bone in his right ankle.
They were 14-1 when Wright was hurt, beat Saint Louis in overtime, then lost eight of the next 11. Goodbye, NCAA hopes.
But Wright is back — he scored eight points in 10 minutes of Monday night’s 55-48 victory at Illinois State — and the Flyers really feel they have a score to settle.
“We’ve been playing pretty well,” said Gregory, who calls this the most resilient team he’s ever been around. “We’re 6-1 now in March. We said we wanted to be a better team when Chris came back and we’re definitely a better team. Now he just kind of adds to it.”
The Buckeyes believe they were victimized by those who said the Big Ten was down. Yet the conference has two teams in the NCAA regional finals (Wisconsin and Michigan State). On top of that, they have been dominant in their NIT victories over UNC Asheville and Cal.
“We’re just putting all the pieces of the puzzle together,” swingman David Lighty said. “Everybody’s coming in and doing their job. Everybody’s been playing real well the last couple of games.”
As might be expected, Matta prefers to play down the rivalry factor. Besides, he says, there’s no time for a lot of fire and brimstone about in-state rivalries and jealousy.
“At this stage, we (both teams) have played so many games it’s more along the lines of the winner moves on and the team that doesn’t win, their season is over,” he said. “We’re playing a very good basketball team. This isn’t a game where you stew over it all summer. You find out last night at 9:15 who you’re playing and … here we go.” 

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