FACTS & STATS: Site: HHH Metrodome (32,000) -- Minneapolis, Minnesota. Television: CBS. NCAA Tournament Record: Dayton 14-15, Kansas 83-36. Series Record: Dayton leads, 1-0.

GAME NOTES: The third-seeded Kansas Jayhawks will try to continue their successes in the NCAA Tournament today, as they take on the 11th-seeded Dayton Flyers in the second round at the HHH Metrodome. The victor of this Midwest Regional bout will clash with either Michigan State or USC in the Sweet 16 next week.

Kansas, the defending national champions, was tested in its first-round game, but was able to move on with an 84-74 besting of 14th- seeded North Dakota State on Friday. It was the seventh straight victory in this event for Kansas, which has now won 24 of its last 26 first-round games. Despite losing a majority of their production from last year's title squad, the Jayhawks are just one victory away from moving on to the Sweet 16 for the 26th time in program history.

As for Dayton, it made its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2004 on Friday and it emerged with a 68-60 upset of West Virginia in first-round action. It marked the Flyers' first victory in this event since 1990, as they reached the 27-win plateau for first time since the 1950-51 campaign. Dayton is now trying to win back-to-back games in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since reaching the Elite Eight in 1984.

The Flyers and Jayhawks have clashed only one time previously, with Dayton defeating Kansas, 61-48, in the finals of the 1968 NIT in New York.

As they have done all year, the Flyers put together a stingy defensive effort on Friday, limiting WVU to just 36.7 percent shooting from the floor, including only a 5-of-20 showing from downtown, in a 68-60 victory. Offensively, Chris Wright carried the load, notching a career-high 27 points, to go along with 10 rebounds. Charles Little tallied a solid 18 points, and Marcus Johnson chipped in with 10 in the win. On the season, Wright paces Dayton in scoring (13.4 ppg) and rebounding (6.6 rpg) and he also has 30 steals to his credit. Johnson comes in with 12.1 ppg and he is the team's top three-point option, hitting at a 37.2 percent clip. Overall, Dayton has prided itself with tenacious defense and is holding foes to 61.5 ppg and a mere 39.6 percent shooting from the field.

Kansas knocked down 50.0 percent of its attempts from the floor and 16-of-20 at the foul line, as it fought off a pesky NDSU squad for an 84-74 win on Friday. The Jayhawks also handed out 17 assists as a team and turned the ball over just five times. Sherron Collins was outstanding in the win and finished with a career-high 32 points and eight assists. Cole Aldrich also had a big day, recording his 19th double-double with 23 points and 13 rebounds. On the season, Collins has certainly been clutch for Kansas and he paces the team in scoring (18.7 ppg) as well as assists (5.1 apg). Aldrich has provided the squad with a big time presence down low and he turns in 14.8 ppg and a team- best 10.7 rpg. Freshman Tyshawn Taylor adds 10.0 ppg and 3.0 apg for the Jayhawks, who are scoring a hardy 77.3 ppg and limiting foes to only 38.9 percent shooting from the floor.

The Flyers are a tough team and can defend with the best of them and that should help keep the game close today. Kansas however, can do so many things well and its versatility will make the difference in the end.

Predicted Outcome

Kansas 70, Dayton 63