Amaël L’Etang’s tip-in with 0.3 seconds left completed a frantic 15-second swing, propelling Dayton past top-seeded Saint Louis 70-69 in an Atlantic 10 semifinal for the ages.
Conference tournament upsets are a March tradition, but few ever come quite like this.
In the Atlantic 10 semifinals on Saturday, the Dayton Flyers, a No. 4 seed, completed one of the most stunning finishes in recent memory to knock off the league’s regular-season champion, the Saint Louis Billikens, 70-69. The game was decided in the final 15 seconds amid a sequence of lead changes, desperation shots, and a crowd left breathless.
With Dayton trailing 66-65 and just 14 seconds remaining, Jacob Conner drained a clutch three-pointer from the wing to give the Flyers a two-point lead. The Billikens responded almost immediately, as star guard Robbie Avila—a college basketball folk hero known for his savvy play—knocked down a three of his own from the top of the key with 6.6 seconds left, reclaiming a one-point advantage for Saint Louis.
What followed was pure chaos.
Dayton inbounded the ball to Jordan Derkack, who took off on a full-court dash. Derkack drove to the basket, stumbled through contact under the rim, and threw up a high-arching reverse layup that missed badly. But the ball stayed alive, caroming toward the basket where Amaël L’Etang, Dayton’s 6-foot-9 center, soared and gently tipped it in with 0.3 seconds showing on the clock. The Billikens‘ final heave missed, and the Flyers stormed into the A-10 title game.
This was more than a lucky break; it was the culmination of a season of resilience for Dayton. After a 15-9 start that raised questions about their NCAA Tournament viability, the Flyers have won eight of their last nine games. That surge has vaulted them into a position where an automatic bid is within reach—they must defeat the winner of the VCU/Saint Joseph’s semifinal on Sunday to claim the conference championship and secure their place in March Madness Yahoo Sports.
For Saint Louis, the loss is a devastating blow. As the regular-season champion, they were virtually locked into an at-large bid regardless of this result, but the defeat complicates their seeding and national momentum. The Billikens had answered Conner‘s go-ahead three with Avila’s clutch shot, seemingly poised to escape. Instead, a split-second defensive lapse—failing to secure the rebound on Derkack’s miss—cost them the game. In tournament play, such moments define a season.
The game featured five lead changes in the final 3:09, a staggering amount of volatility that underscores the high-wire act of conference tournament week. Every possession felt like a potential elimination, and the tension was palpable.
Below is the game-winning sequence as shared on social media, capturing the pandemonium as L’Etang’s tip sent the Dayton contingent into a frenzy.
For Dayton, the path to the NCAA Tournament now runs through Sunday’s championship. The Flyers’ dramatic run—from a middling start to the brink of an automatic bid—has been defined by clutch performances and an ability to win tight games. That trend continued in the most cinematic way possible against the league’s best team.
For Saint Louis, the what-if will linger. They controlled much of the game and had answers for every Dayton surge until the final 15 seconds. Avila’s three seemed a heroic response, only for the rebound to slip away. Such is the cruel nature of single-elimination tournament basketball; one moment can erase a 40-minute effort.
The fallout from this game will ripple across the A-10 and the broader NCAA Tournament landscape. Saint Louis remains almost certainly headed to the Big Dance, but this loss will likely affect their seeding USA TODAY. Dayton now finds itself one win away from a guaranteed bid, a scenario that seemed improbable just weeks ago. Their win streak has transformed their season narrative entirely.
Fan theories are already swirling: Is this a sign of destiny for the Flyers? Can Saint Louis recover mentally for Selection Sunday? In a month built on madness, this game provided a perfect microcosm—unpredictable, heart-stopping, and ultimately decisive.
The Atlantic 10 championship game on Sunday now has a new protagonist. Dayton will play for its first NCAA berth since 2015, fueled by a finish that will be replayed for years to come. For the Billikens, the pain of 0.3 seconds will be a harsh lesson in the margins that decide seasons.
This is why we watch. This is why March is unmatched. And for Dayton, the miracle on the glass has rewritten their tournament fate in an instant.
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