page_title: Dayton Flyers men's basketball
section_title: The Oliver Purnell era
hierarchical_section_title: Dayton Flyers men's basketball / History / The Oliver Purnell era
caption_attribution_description: Clemson basketball coach Oliver Purnell
context_page_description: The Dayton Flyers men's basketball team is a college basketball program that competes in NCAA Division I and the Atlantic 10 Conference representing the University of Dayton in Ohio. The Flyers play their home games at University of Dayton Arena. The Flyers are head coached by Anthony Grant who is in his third season. As of March 2020, Dayton is ranked #3 in the AP Top 25 Poll, its highest ranking since the 1955–56 season when it was ranked #2. The Flyers have never been ranked #1.
  A 2015 study of college basketball team valuations placed Dayton No. 23 in the nation with 2014 adjusted revenues in excess of $16.6 million and a valuation of nearly $84 million.
context_section_description: Dayton turned to Old Dominion head basketball coach Oliver Purnell to resurrect their moribund basketball program. The dissolution of the Great Midwest Conference in 1995 and subsequent snub by former conference mates in joining the new Conference USA further complicated Purnell's rebuilding task. In 1995 the Flyers accepted an invitation to join the A10, where they remain today. Purnell guided the Flyers to the 1998 NIT, the school's first post-season appearance in eight seasons. Purnell would lead the Flyers back to the NCAA tournament in 2000 following the Co-SIDA Classic Championship, an 11–5 conference record and non-conference victories over #12 ranked Kentucky, New Mexico, and rival Marquette. Purnell's 2000–01 team earned the program's first national ranking for the school since 1974 following victories over #12 UConn and #6 Maryland in the 2000 Maui Invitational Tournament. Dayton would go on to reach the quarterfinals of the 2001 NIT. Dayton would again make the NIT field in 2002. The 2002–03 season would mark the completion of Purnell's rebuilding project as the Flyers compiled a 24–6 record and reached as high as #16 in the AP Poll following victories over #21 Cincinnati, #13 Marquette, and two wins over #25 St Joseph's en route to their first Atlantic 10 championship. The Flyers earned a #4 seed in the 2003 NCAA Tournament, but fell to Tulsa in the first round. Following the season, Purnell accepted an offer to become the Clemson head basketball coach.
caption: Oliver Purnell
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