Dayton Upset No. 1 St. Louis in A-10 Tournament

Flyers advance to conference championship game with thrilling victory over Billikens

Mar. 14, 2026 at 9:18pm

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The No. 4 seed Dayton Flyers pulled off a major upset in the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament, defeating the top-seeded St. Louis Billikens 72-68 in a hard-fought semifinal matchup on Saturday. The win sends Dayton to the A-10 championship game, where they will look to clinch an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Why it matters

Dayton's victory over the heavily favored Billikens is a significant accomplishment, as St. Louis was the regular season conference champion and ranked in the Top 25 nationally. The Flyers' upset win shakes up the A-10 tournament and keeps their NCAA Tournament hopes alive.

The details

Dayton was led by junior guard Elijah Weaver, who scored a game-high 23 points, including several clutch baskets down the stretch. The Flyers also got key contributions from senior forward Toumani Camara and sophomore guard Malachi Smith. St. Louis was paced by senior guard Gibson Jimerson, who finished with 18 points.

  • The game was played on Saturday, March 14, 2026.

The players

Elijah Weaver

A junior guard for the Dayton Flyers who scored a game-high 23 points in the upset victory.

Toumani Camara

A senior forward for the Dayton Flyers who provided key contributions in the win over St. Louis.

Malachi Smith

A sophomore guard for the Dayton Flyers who played a crucial role in the team's upset of the Billikens.

Gibson Jimerson

A senior guard for the St. Louis Billikens who led his team with 18 points in the losing effort.

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What they’re saying

“I'm so proud of the way our guys competed today. They showed a lot of heart and determination to pull off this upset.”

— Anthony Grant, Dayton Head Coach (247sports.com)

“Give credit to Dayton, they played a great game and deserved to win. We'll regroup and get ready for the NCAA Tournament.”

— Travis Ford, St. Louis Head Coach (247sports.com)

What’s next

Dayton will now face the winner of the other semifinal matchup in the A-10 championship game on Sunday, March 15th. The winner of that game will earn an automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

Dayton's upset victory over the top-seeded Billikens is a testament to the parity in college basketball and the unpredictability of conference tournament play. The Flyers' win keeps their NCAA Tournament hopes alive and sets up an exciting championship game in the A-10.