The return of Charles Little didn't do much to change the fortunes of the Dayton Flyers. They dropped their fourth game in five tries at Rhode Island this afternoon 82-70 and once again called their tournament worthiness into doubt. The Flyers simply don't play enough defense to be a safe bet in the deep Atlantic 10. Rhode Island shot 52% and turned the ball over just five times while cruising to their 19th win of the year. That they won so easily despite a poor game from Will Daniels underscores how strong the Rams are looking these days. Joe Mbang came off the bench to score 21 points, the splendidly named Parfait Bitee nailed three threes and URI dished 16 assists to fuel their offense.
Just two weeks ago Dayton was considered a sure thing for the dance while the Rams were on the bubble but their positions have changed dramatically since then. Dayton's injuries and defensive deficiencies are part of the story but not the whole problem. They had six assists today and that lack of offensive balance has exposed their reliance on Brian Roberts (1-of-9 from three today). Whether he's on or off, though, there's no shortage of ways to beat the Flyers.
There were two teams with a high profile entering Atlantic-10 play. Xavier and Dayton each won games against teams from all over the country and were entertaining thoughts of deep tournament runs just as soon as they made their way through the conference. Xavier, after a slight bobble at Temple, is doing nothing to defy that belief. They're clearly the cream of the A-10 crop and among the very best teams in the country. 
