Dayton basketball: Old rival will play Flyers in charity exhibition game
May 21—The Dayton Flyers will play a charity exhibition game against a high-profile program for a fourth straight season. Notre Dame will be the opponent on Oct. 17 at UD Arena at a time to be announced, UD announced on Thursday, May 21.
The game will take place a little more than three weeks before Nov. 10, the first day college basketball teams can play regular-season games in the 2026-27 season. Notre Dame will join Ohio State, Xavier and Penn State on the list of teams Dayton has played to benefit Jay's Light, the foundation started to honor the late daughter of Dayton coach Anthony Grant and his wife Chris.
According to a press release, Jay's Light supports "local community organizations and initiatives that align with the mission of supporting adolescent and young adult mental health. " CareSource has sponsored each game. Chris and I continue to be encouraged and energized by the generosity of those who believe in this mission," Grant said in a press release.
"CareSource has stood beside us as a cornerstone partner from the beginning, championing mental health initiatives in ways that have truly transformed lives across our community and beyond. The other games, the new programming for young people we bring to UD Arena, we keep finding more ways to make a difference. We are grateful to Notre Dame and CareSource for this year's programming.
" "We are honored to partner with Coach Grant, the University of Dayton, and CareSource for this tremendous event," said Notre Dame coach Micah Shrewsberry in a press release. "What makes this event special is what it represents beyond the game itself. Mental health is something that touches every team, every locker room, every campus, and every community.