Dayton has 10 lettermen, three of its top four scorers and its three leading rebounds back from a team that started 14-1 last season before being beset by injuries. The Flyers bounced back to reach the quarterfinals of the NIT to end the season on a relative high note considering the road traveled to the finish line.

However, point guard Brian Roberts isn't among the returnees for the Flyers, who assuredly will have a hard time replacing his statistical production and calming veteran presence.

Roberts averaged 18.8 points and 3.4 assists last season and the Flyers went 23-10 in his senior year. He ended his career at or near the top of many of Dayton's all-time statistical categories.

Dayton will have a very athletic team that includes three starters with vertical leaps of at least 40 inches in sophomore forward Chris Wright, junior guard Marcus Johnson and senior forward Charles Little. They were the Flyers' top three rebounders last season.

Wright averaged 10.4 points and a team-high 5.7 rebounds a game last season and was named to the Atlantic 10's all-rookie team despite suffering a broken ankle in the conference opener against Rhode Island that sidelined him until the NIT. Wright was also the first player in Dayton history to record a double-double in his first career game as he had 22 points and 13 rebounds against East Tennessee State.

Johnson scored 10.1 points and grabbed 5.1 rebounds a game last year and will be counted on to pick up the outside shooting slack with Roberts gone.

Johnson was the second-leading scorer at Akron (Ohio) St. Vincent-St. Mary's High School as a senior behind Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James.

Little was the Atlantic 10's Sixth Man of the Year two seasons ago and averaged 8.0 points and 4.6 rebounds in his first season as a starter last winter while shooting 50 percent from the field. He scored a career-high 28 points last season against Xavier, which reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament.

Joining Little up front will be junior center Kurt Huelsman, who has started every game of his college career and averaged 5.9 points and 4.0 rebounds a game last season.

Attempting to fill Roberts' shoes at the point will be junior London Warren, who averaged 4.3 points and 1.9 rebounds last season and is considered by many to be the fastest player in the conference.

Warren, who led the Flyers with 45 steals a year ago, will be pushed by junior Rob Lowery, who was an All-American last season at Cecil (Md.) Junior College.

Dayton will count on a number of inexperienced player coming off the bench, including sophomore forward Devin Searcy, junior guard Mickey Perry and sophomore guard Stephen Thomas, who was a two-time high school player of the year in Indianapolis. A number of freshmen could also see minutes off the bench, including guards Chris Johnson and Paul Williams and forwards Josh Benson and Luke Fabrizius.

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