Dayton adds a Big Ten opponent to schedule for next two seasons

David Jablonski, Dayton Daily News, Ohio
·2 min read

Jun. 7—A Big Ten Conference team will play a regular-season men's basketball game at UD Arena in 2024 for the first time in 27 years.

The Dayton Flyers and Northwestern announced a two-game series Wednesday. Dayton will play Northwestern on Nov. 10 at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Chicago this year. Northwestern will play at UD Arena during the 2024-25 season on a date to be announced.

Northwestern was also the last Big Ten team to play the Flyers on their home court. Dayton won that matchup 77-69 on Dec. 27, 1997.

The teams played the following season at Northwestern with the Wildcats winning 61-57. That was Dayton's last visit to Welsh-Ryan Arena.

The 2023 matchup will be the fifth meeting between Dayton and Northwestern. The series is tied 2-2.

The most recent meeting between Dayton and Northwestern took place on a neutral court, the United Center in Chicago. Northwestern won 67-64 on Dec. 17, 2016.

Here's the list of other current Big Ten programs that have played a regular-season game at UD Arena and when the most recent game at the arena took place: Iowa (1979), Minnesota (1982) Michigan (1984), Maryland (1985), Ohio State (1988) and Michigan State (1991).

Penn State played Dayton in the NIT at UD Arena in 1998. Dayton won 77-74.

Wisconsin, Purdue, Illinois and Nebraska have never played the Flyers in Dayton. Indiana and Rutgers have never played Dayton.

This will be the second straight season Dayton has played a non-conference game in Chicago. It beat Wyoming 66-49 at the United Center on Dec. 17 last season.

Dayton and Northwestern both finished 22-12 last season. Northwestern tied for second in the Big Ten with a 12-8 mark. It played in the NCAA tournament for the second time in program history and first time since 2017, beating Boise State 75-67 in the first round before losing 68-63 to UCLA.

Northwestern returns its top scorer, 6-foot-2 guard Boo Buie, who will be a fifth-year senior. He averaged 17.3 points per game and was an All-Big Ten first-team selection.

The game against Northwestern on Nov. 10 likely will be Dayton's second game of the season. Teams can open the season as early as Monday, Nov. 6.