No. 2 UConn faced a tough challenge as they suffered their third consecutive loss in the Maui Invitational, falling 85-67 to Dayton in the seventh-place game on Wednesday night. Enoch Cheeks emerged as a standout player, scoring 20 points and leading the Flyers to victory.
This defeat marks a disappointing finish for the two-time defending national champions, who ended the tournament in eighth place among the eight competing teams.
Dayton, now with a record of 6-2, showcased a balanced offensive attack with Nate Santos contributing 18 points, Posh Alexander adding 16, and Zed Key scoring 15 points while also securing nine rebounds.
Cheeks demonstrated impressive shooting skills, hitting 8 of 12 attempts from the field, including 3 of 5 from beyond the arc.
In a surprising twist, Liam McNeeley, who had a career-high 20 points against Colorado just a day earlier, struggled significantly, finishing the game scoreless with an 0-for-9 shooting performance against Dayton.
UConn briefly took the lead with a 3-pointer from Alex Karaban, making the score 30-27 with 4:34 remaining in the first half. However, Dayton closed the half strong, outscoring UConn 15-4 to take a 41-34 lead into halftime.
Takeaways
For UConn, the losses in Maui have been particularly troubling, as all three defeats came against unranked teams. They had previously lost to Memphis and Colorado by a narrow combined margin of just three points.
As for Dayton, their efficiency at the free-throw line was notable, making 27 of 30 attempts, and they shot over 47% from three-point range, hitting 8 of 17 shots. Overall, they finished the game shooting 50% from the field.
Key moment
A pivotal moment came when UConn narrowed the gap to 52-49 with Solo Ball’s basket in transition at the 11:20 mark of the second half. Dayton responded decisively, with Alexander’s three-point play extending their lead back to six points with 10:34 remaining.
Key stat
Dayton dominated the boards, finishing with a rebounding margin of plus-16, including a significant 32-17 advantage on the defensive glass.
Up next
Looking ahead, UConn will host Maryland Eastern Shore on Saturday, while Dayton prepares to face Western Michigan at home on Tuesday night.
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