Connecticut got the benefit of the doubt in preseason polls because it had won two straight national championships. It didn’t play anyone of note in its first four games and then lost all three games in Maui. It likely will drop out of the Associated Press top-25 next week.
UConn’s struggles in Maui were a bigger story on the national level than Dayton’s upset, judging by reactions on social media, while UD fans were as jubilant as Smith and Jack.
Here’s a look at what people said about the game:
Wonder what he was thinking here…any guesses? Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving and don’t forget, Dayton smacked UConn by 18 last night!
— Brooks Hall (@BrooksHall33) November 28, 2024
🔴🔵✈️ pic.twitter.com/bgFlMJ5bCr
Is Dayton the best seventh place team in the history of the Maui Invitational?
— Mo Egger (@MoEgger) November 28, 2024
Is UConn the best eighth place team in the history of the Maui Invitational?
These are the things you can debate during Thanksgiving dinner instead of less important things like politics.
UConn is clearly not #2 in the country. But unless they end up falling much further, this ends up being a good week for Dayton
— 3 Bid League (@3BidLeaguePod) November 28, 2024
More or less went 1-2 against top 25 teams and played very well in all 3
Dayton beats UConn 85-67 in the Maui Invitational 7th place game.
— Jonathon Warriner (@Bracketologist3) November 28, 2024
Enoch Cheeks led the Flyers with 20.
Dan Hurley and UConn came in 2nd in the AP Poll and finished last in the Maui Invitational. They are the frauds of the week: pic.twitter.com/JI1QBV5P6k
The biggest winners from Maui are probably Memphis and Dayton due to their conference schedules and needing to get at least a win to help their resume before conference play starts. All those other teams, even UConn, have plenty more games to help their resume come March.
— parlayp (@parlaypyle) November 28, 2024
If you weren’t here in November at 12:30am watching Dayton vs UConn then don’t bother showing up in March
— Cole Adams (@coleadamss) November 28, 2024
The Dayton Flyers leave Maui with a win! Defeats UConn in the final game of the invitational.
— T3 Bracketology™️🏀 (@T3Bracketology) November 28, 2024
Dayton played much better than the 1-2 record on the island would indicate. This is a tournament level team once again and showed well the last 3 days
Happy Thanksgiving! @DaytonMBB
A huge shout out to the Flyer fans in Maui! They didn’t sit down for 1 minute during the 3 games. UNC, Iowa State, and UConn were in their seats for 80% of the games. We didn’t fly all the way to Maui to sit and watch basketball. Well done Flyer fans!!! #lowd #dayton
— Michael in Maui ✈️ (@MichaelFromCbus) November 28, 2024
FINAL — DAYTON 85, UCONN 67
— John Fanta (@John_Fanta) November 28, 2024
The Flyers, who had come very close to a win earlier in Maui, get a very well-deserved victory in emphatic fashion of a Huskies team that went 0-3 in the event. Enoch Cheeks had 20, Nate Santos with 18. UD did whatever it wanted vs. UConn’s defense.
UCONN won’t be #2 next week, but they were #2 tonight & Dayton thoroughly beat them. A lot of Flyer fans have never seen their team beat a Top 2 ranked opponent, that’s what makes tonight special.
— Mark (@937Mark) November 28, 2024
Enjoy it Flyer Nation, I damn sure will.
UConn won the 2024 NCAA Tournament and finished last in the 2024 Maui Invitational. That's a wild sentence I never anticipated writing.
— Gary Parrish (@GaryParrishCBS) November 28, 2024
Going to my girlfriend’s house for thanksgiving today and her family is full of UCONN fans. Have already been told to behave and not say anything about the game. I’m a man of honor so instead I’ll just be showing up dressed in all Dayton gear instead, no words needed. Roll yers
— Zach Deatherage (@zdeatherage5) November 28, 2024
.@DaytonMBB trailed the #2, #5, and #12 teams in the country for a grand total of 25:48 out of a possible 120 minutes this week. #DefenseTravels
— Matthew Schwade (@FlyerHoops) November 28, 2024
In 5 trips to Maui that was Dayton’s worst finish and first time in the losers bracket.
— Adam (@adamg1224) November 28, 2024
It might have been their most impressive trip overall
The @DaytonMBB have come close to multiple upsets all week and finally their grit, toughness on D and shot making paid off with a late-night upset of @UConnMBB here in @MauiInv. The Huskies will leave the Island 0-3. A crazy turn of events for the No. 2 team. @MarchMadnessMBB
— Andy Katz (@TheAndyKatz) November 28, 2024
1-2 in Maui versus 3 top 15 NET ranked teams is a massive resume builder for Dayton and its NCAA at-large hopes. These are Quad 1A games (better than Quad 1 games). Dayton right now is a 6 or 7 seed if season ended today!
— DaytonBC (@DaytonBC) November 28, 2024
Lady next to me at the game told me that her (Dayton Flyers t-shirt wearing) son was in the hotel elevator with Dan Hurley this afternoon, and Hurley told the kid “Don’t worry, we’re terrible.”
— basketballCOURT (@courtneydeutsch) November 28, 2024
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