DAYTON, Ohio — One thing Iona coach Tim Cluess has told his players is they should dream.
They should dream of being a team that takes down a top seed in the NCAA Tournament. They should dream of emerging as a school that generates a national craze thanks to an upset during March Madness.
“The way I said it to them is basically somebody here, more than one team in this tournament, is going to pull upsets and going to be the team that everyone is speaking about a week, two weeks down the road,” Cluess said yesterday. “Why not us? Why not all of us dream a little bit right now?”
Iona’s dream takes the court tonight at University of Dayton Arena, as the 15th-seeded Gaels will be looking for their first NCAA Tournament win when they face second-seeded Ohio State in a second-round West Region game tonight at University of Dayton Arena. Iona is 0-8 all-time in the tournament —its 1980 victory over Holy Cross was vacated because of violations.
The Gaels flushed a 25-point lead against BYU in the First Four here last year — the biggest blown lead in the history of the tournament.
Tonight’s primary question is if the Gaels can handle the Buckeyes’ phenomenal defense. Iona ranks second nationally in offense (80.7 ppg), and the Buckeyes rank 15th nationally in defense (57.9 ppg).
“They’re one of the best defensive teams in the country. We’re one of the best offensive teams in the country,” Iona star guard Momo Jones said. “So two teams like that collide, and it can be a great matchup.”
POST’S NCAA TOURNAMENT COVERAGE
PHOTOS: NCAA TOURNAMENT, DAY 1
Potentially, yes. But it might be less great for Iona. Consider: Iona is 17-5 when scoring 75 points, but Ohio State has surrendered 75 points just twice the entire year — 76 to Michigan, in overtime, and 81 to Indiana, one of the nation’s best teams.
“It’s gonna come down to our defense,” Ohio State guard Lenzelle Smith Jr. said.
“As far as their defense,” Iona forward Taaj Ridley said, “I feel if we spread the floor and we run how we’ve been doing all year, I feel it won’t really be that much of a factor.”
ESPN college hoops expert Dick Vitale told The Post he believes Buckeyes point guard Aaron Craft is the Defensive Player of the Year.
Fellow guard Shannon Scott was a Big 10 All-Defense pick this year. It certainly figures Craft will be on Jones, who averages 23.0 ppg, third-best in the country.
“Best leader since Schwartzkopf,” CBS Sports college hoops analyst Pete Gillen told The Post, comparing Craft with Army Gen. Norman Schwartzkopf of Gulf War fame. “He’s like a mongoose chasing after a rabbit.”
“I’m just gonna come out and play,” Jones said. “It’s not a Momo Jones-Aaron Craft matchup. It’s Ohio State-Iona.”
Ohio State, which has won eight straight games, will be playing in its home state. In 2009 the Buckeyes played an opening game in University of Dayton Arena against a team from the MAAC (Siena) and lost in double overtime. Granted, Ohio State was just an eighth-seed then.
“That’s years ago,” Iona guard Sean Armand said. “Different players, different coaching styles.”
Ohio State certainly has been successful lately in the tourney. It has gone to three straight Sweet 16s and was in last year’s Final Four.
“We’ll find out [tonight] what we’re made of,” Buckeyes coach Thad Matta said.
Iona will find out if its dream is headed to the Round of 32.
mark.hale@nypost.com