Irish Prep for First Preseason Tune-Up At Dayton

DAYTON, Ohio - The first preseason test for the Notre Dame men's basketball team approaches. The new-look 2026-27 Fighting Irish squad will travel to Dayton to challenge the Flyers on Saturday, Oct. 17. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET inside UD Arena, with the exhibition streamed on ESPN+. 

It’s been nearly 22 years since Dayton and Notre Dame have met on the hardwood. The precise date: Jan. 17, 1995, at UD Arena. The all-time record sits at 28-12 in Notre Dame’s favor.

Though it’s been a while since the two have clashed, that 1995 date is not the last time the Irish were in town. Try March 16, 2022, when ND challenged Rutgers in the First Four of the NCAA Tournament. The Irish took the Scarlet Knights to double overtime, where they won 89-87, ending the game on St. Patrick’s Day.

TALE OF THE TAPE

The Flyers produced a 19-9 overall record in the 2025-26 season, finishing 10-5 in the A10. They return two players who started over 15 games that season: Amael L'Etang and Jaiun Simon.

Dayton brought in a total of nine players for the 2026-27 season, comprising of six transfers and three freshmen.

Dayton fell 82-76 in their first exhibition game vs. Xavier. The Flyers tallied just 29 points in the first half but rebounded by shooting 76.2 percent in the second half for 47 points. Senior guard and Marquette transfer Zaide Lowery led with 16 points on 7-9 shooting. 

Notre Dame returns two starters in Braeden Shrewsberry and Brady Koehler. Shrewsberry has averaged double-digit points all three years in South Bend, surpassing the 1,000 career point milestone at the end of last season. Shrewsberry ranks in the program's top-10 list for career threes made and will look to become the fourth person to cross the 300 made threshold. Koehler averaged 7.3 points and 4.2 rebounds in ACC play, posting double-digit points in three of his last four games of the season. 

Coach Shrewsberry welcomed in 10 newcomers: six transfers and four freshmen. Three of those transfers were former "of the Year" winners in some capacity:

• Logan Duncomb - 2026 Big South Player of the Year
• Braeden Smith - 2024 Patriot League Player of the Year
• Ethan Roberts - 2023 Patriot League Rookie of the Year

Smith and Roberts also bring NCAA Tournament experience to this year's squad. In fact, Smith has been in the NCAA Tournament all three years of college. 

PLAYING FOR A CAUSE

Saturday's contest, hosted by CareSource and the University of Dayton, will cap off the fourth year of community engagement events championing adolescent and young adult mental health and suicide prevention. All net proceeds from ticket sales will benefit Jay’s Light.

Dayton Coach Anthony Grant and his wife Chris strive to “bring purpose to the pain” from their family’s tragedy by helping mothers, fathers, teens, and young adults find the resources to help. Their daughter Jay died in 2022 at the age of 20 as a result of mental illness.

“We are honored to partner with Coach Grant, the University of Dayton, and CareSource for this tremendous event,” said Glenn & Stacey Murphy head coach Micah Shrewsberry. “What makes this event special is what it represents beyond the game itself. Mental health touches every team, every locker room, every campus, and every community. We must continue to create conversations, raise awareness, and improve access to the resources people need. College basketball gives us a platform to impact people beyond wins and losses, and we’re proud to be a part of something that can make a difference.”

Jay’s Light, a foundation that honors Jayda Grant and will be used to champion adolescent and young adult mental health and suicide prevention. The fund will support local community organizations and initiatives that align with the mission of supporting adolescent and young adult mental health.

— ND —