No. 19 Cincinnati ends No. 22 Dayton’s five-game winning streak 66-59
Cincinnati’s Dan Skillings Jr. (0) celebrates with teammate Simas Lukosius (41) following their victory over Dayton in an NCAA college basketball game, Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)
CINCINNATI (AP) — Dan Skillings Jr. scored 17 points and Jizzle James added 14 as No. 19 Cincinnati ended No. 22 Dayton’s five-game winning streak 66-59 on Friday night.
Simas Lukosius added 13 for the Bearcats (9-1), who have won three straight.
Malachi Smith and Nate Santos each scored 13 for the Flyers (10-3), who committed a season-high 17 turnovers. Posh Alexander and Zed Key each had 11 points for Dayton.
It was a poorly played first half. The Flyers didn’t score a field goal until 8:45 remained in the half. The Bearcats went 3 of 17 from 3-point range in the half but forced 11 turnovers to build a 25-17 halftime lead.
Cincinnati started the second half 5 of 8 from 3-point range. James’ four-point play gave the Bearcats a 51-35 lead with seven minutes left. Dayton cut the lead to four when Smith’s 3-pointer capped a 7-0 run with 2:01 left, but the Bearcats held on.
NO. 12 TEXAS A&M 77, HOUSTON CHRISTIAN 45
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Hayden Hefner had 19 points and fellow guard Manny Obaseki scored 13 as No. 12 Texas A&M defeated Houston Christian.
The Aggies (10-2) built a double-digit lead with 6:50 remaining in the first half on a tip-in by Jaelyn Lee and never glanced back. They shot 47% from the field.
Houston Christian shot a season-worst 2 of 20 from the 3-point line. D’Aundre Samuels led the Huskies (4-8) with 12 points, their only player in double digits.
The Aggies played without star guard Wade Taylor IV, who missed the contest with a minor injury and is expected back soon.