Cheeks scores 20 as Dayton sends No. 2 UConn down to 3rd straight loss, 85-67
Cheeks scores 20 as Dayton sends No. 2 UConn down to 3rd straight loss, 85-67
Dayton guard Enoch Cheeks celebrates after an 85-67 win against UConn in an NCAA college basketball game at the Maui Invitational Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
From left, Dayton forward Nate Santos, Dayton head coach Anthony Grant, guard Malachi Smith and guard Hamad Mousa (10) celebrate an 85-67 win over UConn in an NCAA college basketball game at the Maui Invitational Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
From left, Dayton forward Nate Santos, Dayton head coach Anthony Grant, guard Malachi Smith, guard Hamad Mousa and forward Zed Key celebrate an 85-67 win over UConn in an NCAA college basketball game at the Maui Invitational Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
UConn forward Alex Karaban (11) goes to the basket against Dayton guard Hamad Mousa (10) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Maui Invitational Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
UConn guard Solo Ball (1) reacts during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Dayton at the Maui Invitational Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Dayton guard Malachi Smith (11) reacts after making a basket against UConnduring the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Maui Invitational Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
UConn head coach Dan Hurley instructs players from the sideline during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Dayton at the Maui Invitational Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
UConn forward Alex Karaban, left, wipes his face with his jersey as he and teammates, including forward Jaylin Stewart (3) and forward Isaiah Abraham (4) line up to greet Dayton after losing 85-67 in an NCAA college basketball game at the Maui Invitational Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Dayton guard Enoch Cheeks celebrates after an 85-67 win against UConn in an NCAA college basketball game at the Maui Invitational Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Dayton guard Enoch Cheeks celebrates after an 85-67 win against UConn in an NCAA college basketball game at the Maui Invitational Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
From left, Dayton forward Nate Santos, Dayton head coach Anthony Grant, guard Malachi Smith and guard Hamad Mousa (10) celebrate an 85-67 win over UConn in an NCAA college basketball game at the Maui Invitational Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
From left, Dayton forward Nate Santos, Dayton head coach Anthony Grant, guard Malachi Smith and guard Hamad Mousa (10) celebrate an 85-67 win over UConn in an NCAA college basketball game at the Maui Invitational Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
From left, Dayton forward Nate Santos, Dayton head coach Anthony Grant, guard Malachi Smith, guard Hamad Mousa and forward Zed Key celebrate an 85-67 win over UConn in an NCAA college basketball game at the Maui Invitational Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
From left, Dayton forward Nate Santos, Dayton head coach Anthony Grant, guard Malachi Smith, guard Hamad Mousa and forward Zed Key celebrate an 85-67 win over UConn in an NCAA college basketball game at the Maui Invitational Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
UConn forward Alex Karaban (11) goes to the basket against Dayton guard Hamad Mousa (10) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Maui Invitational Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
UConn forward Alex Karaban (11) goes to the basket against Dayton guard Hamad Mousa (10) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Maui Invitational Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
UConn guard Solo Ball (1) reacts during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Dayton at the Maui Invitational Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
UConn guard Solo Ball (1) reacts during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Dayton at the Maui Invitational Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Dayton guard Malachi Smith (11) reacts after making a basket against UConnduring the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Maui Invitational Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Dayton guard Malachi Smith (11) reacts after making a basket against UConnduring the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Maui Invitational Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
UConn head coach Dan Hurley instructs players from the sideline during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Dayton at the Maui Invitational Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
UConn head coach Dan Hurley instructs players from the sideline during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Dayton at the Maui Invitational Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
UConn forward Alex Karaban, left, wipes his face with his jersey as he and teammates, including forward Jaylin Stewart (3) and forward Isaiah Abraham (4) line up to greet Dayton after losing 85-67 in an NCAA college basketball game at the Maui Invitational Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
UConn forward Alex Karaban, left, wipes his face with his jersey as he and teammates, including forward Jaylin Stewart (3) and forward Isaiah Abraham (4) line up to greet Dayton after losing 85-67 in an NCAA college basketball game at the Maui Invitational Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Enoch Cheeks scored 20 points to lead Dayton to an 85-67 win over No. 2 UConn in the seventh-place game of the Maui Invitational on Wednesday night.
The Flyers (6-2) got 18 points from Nate Santos, 16 from Posh Alexander and 15 from Zed Key, who also led the team with nine rebounds.
Cheeks shot 8 of 12 from the field including 3 of 5 from 3-point range.
Alex Karaban made four of his team’s eight 3-pointers and scored 15 of his team-high 21 points in the first half to lead the Huskies (4-3), who lost all three games they played at the tournament.
A day after he scored a career-best 20 points against Colorado, Liam McNeeley went scoreless on 0-for-9 shooting against the Flyers.
Karaban hit a 3-pointer that put UConn ahead 30-27 with 4:34 left before halftime, but Dayton closed out the first half on a 15-4 run to take a 41-34 halftime lead.
Takeaways
UConn: All three of the Huskies’ losses on Maui came against unranked teams. They dropped their first two games — against Memphis on Monday and Colorado on Tuesday — by a combined three points.
Dayton: The Flyers made 27 of 30 free throws and shot better than 47% from behind the arc (8 of 17). They went 25 of 50 from the field overall.
Key moment
UConn got within 52-49 on Solo Ball’s bucket in transition at the 11:20 mark of the second half, but Dayton found some separation with Alexander’s three-point play that stretched it back to a six-point lead with 10:34 to play.
Key stat
Dayton finished plus-16 in rebounding margin, including a 32-17 advantage on the defensive glass.
Up next
UConn hosts Maryland Eastern Shore on Saturday, while Dayton plays host to Western Michigan on Tuesday night.
___
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball.