UNLV

DAYTON

Malachi Smith delivers late as No. 22 Dayton tops UNLV 66-65

AP
Dec 17, 2024

Dayton Flyers, Ohio (AP) Malachi Smith scored five of his 11 points in the final 37 seconds, including a decisive three-point play, and No. 22 Dayton beat UNLV Rebels 66-65 on Tuesday night.

Nate Santos had 14 points for the Flyers (10-2), who moved into the AP Top 25 poll this week for the first time this season. They extended their homecourt winning streak to 25 games - the fifth-longest in Division I.

Houston has the nation's longest streak at 27 games.

Zed Key scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half and freshman Amael L’Etang finished with 10 for Dayton.

Dedan Thomas Jr. led UNLV (5-5) with 16 points. Jaden Henley added 15 and Julian Rishwain had 12 points on four 3-pointers.

Rishwain gave UNLV a spark in the second half. He was scoreless until making his first field goal in five attempts with 7:53 remaining. His third consecutive 3 during a four-minute span gave the Rebels their first lead of the second half at 55-53.

Santos made a 3-pointer from the corner with 1:15 left to pull Dayton to 62-61 and UNLV did not hit the rim at the other end late in the shot clock, leading to a transition layup by Smith with 37 seconds to go.

Rishwain made his fourth 3-pointer with 23 seconds left for a 65-63 lead, but Smith converted a three-point play to give Dayton a one-point lead with eight seconds left. Thomas' baseline jumper at the buzzer was short.

A game that featured seven ties and eight lead changes ended with each team making 13 free throws and grabbing 30 rebounds. Dayton was 24 of 51 from the field, while UNLV made 22 of 53.

UNLV returns home to play UC Riverside on Saturday.

Dayton plays No. 19 Cincinnati on Friday in the Simple Truth Hoops Classic at the Heritage Bank Center.

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1st Half
UNLV
Rebels
28
DAYT
Flyers
27

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Jeremiah Cherry vs. Zed Key (Nate Santos gains possession)
19:44		Javon Bennett misses three point jump shot
19:42		Enoch Cheeks offensive rebound
19:25	+2	Zed Key makes two point jump shot	0-2
18:57		Jaden Henley misses three point jump shot
18:55		Zed Key defensive rebound
18:30		Javon Bennett misses three point jump shot
18:28		Jeremiah Cherry defensive rebound
18:16		Dedan Thomas Jr. misses two point jump shot
18:14		Nate Santos defensive rebound
18:09		Enoch Cheeks misses two point layup
18:07		Enoch Cheeks offensive rebound
18:07		Jaden Henley shooting foul (Enoch Cheeks draws the foul)
18:07	+1	Enoch Cheeks makes regular free throw 1 of 2	0-3
18:07	+1	Enoch Cheeks makes regular free throw 2 of 2	0-4
17:42		Enoch Cheeks blocks Jalen Hill's two point layup
17:40		Zed Key defensive rebound
17:27	+2	Nate Santos makes two point layup (Zed Key assists)	0-6
17:07		Julian Rishwain misses three point jump shot
17:05		Jaden Henley offensive rebound
16:57	+2	Jaden Henley makes two point layup	2-6
16:45	+3	Javon Bennett makes three point jump shot (Enoch Cheeks assists)	2-9
16:26	+2	Jeremiah Cherry makes two point layup (Jalen Hill assists)	4-9
16:26		Zed Key shooting foul (Jeremiah Cherry draws the foul)
16:26		Jeremiah Cherry misses regular free throw 1 of 1
16:26		Nate Santos defensive rebound
15:58	+2	Malachi Smith makes two point layup	4-11
15:31		Jalen Hill misses two point jump shot
15:29		Jailen Bedford offensive rebound
15:14	+3	Jailen Bedford makes three point jump shot (Julian Rishwain assists)	7-11
14:57		Enoch Cheeks misses three point jump shot
14:55		Jeremiah Cherry defensive rebound
14:31		Jeremiah Cherry misses two point jump shot
14:29		Enoch Cheeks defensive rebound
14:21		Jeremiah Cherry blocks Malachi Smith's two point layup
14:19		Jeremiah Cherry defensive rebound
14:07	+2	Jeremiah Cherry makes two point layup (Dedan Thomas Jr. assists)	9-11
14:19		TV timeout
13:54		Amaël L'Etang misses three point jump shot
13:52		Brooklyn Hicks defensive rebound
13:37	+2	Jailen Bedford makes two point layup (Dedan Thomas Jr. assists)	11-11
13:10		Posh Alexander misses three point jump shot
13:08		Amaël L'Etang offensive rebound
13:01	+3	Amaël L'Etang makes three point jump shot (Enoch Cheeks assists)	11-14
12:31		Dedan Thomas Jr. misses two point jump shot
12:29		Pape N'Diaye offensive rebound
12:29		Pape N'Diaye turnover (lost ball) (Javon Bennett steals)
12:16		Enoch Cheeks misses three point jump shot
12:14		Brooklyn Hicks defensive rebound
12:04		Enoch Cheeks personal foul
11:43		Jailen Bedford turnover (bad pass) (Malachi Smith steals)
11:38		Amaël L'Etang offensive foul
11:38		Amaël L'Etang turnover (offensive foul)
11:36		TV timeout
11:11		Jaden Henley turnover (traveling)
10:47	+2	Malachi Smith makes two point layup	11-16
10:20	+3	Dedan Thomas Jr. makes three point jump shot (Brooklyn Hicks assists)	14-16
10:00		Nate Santos turnover (lost ball) (Jaden Henley steals)
9:53		Jaden Henley turnover (lost ball) (Posh Alexander steals)
9:42	+2	Posh Alexander makes two point layup	14-18
9:31		Julian Rishwain misses three point jump shot
9:29		Amaël L'Etang defensive rebound
9:11		Nate Santos misses two point layup
9:09		Amaël L'Etang offensive rebound
9:03		Amaël L'Etang misses two point layup
9:01		Julian Rishwain defensive rebound
8:51		Jaden Henley misses three point jump shot
8:49		Amaël L'Etang defensive rebound
8:39	+2	Amaël L'Etang makes two point layup (Posh Alexander assists)	14-20
8:12		Jaden Henley misses two point layup
8:10		Amaël L'Etang defensive rebound
8:05	+2	Nate Santos makes two point dunk (Malachi Smith assists)	14-22
8:05		Runnin' Rebels 30 second timeout
8:05		TV timeout
7:41		Julian Rishwain misses two point layup
7:39		Zed Key defensive rebound
7:31		Malachi Smith turnover (out of bounds)
7:06	+2	Dedan Thomas Jr. makes two point jump shot	16-22
6:40		Nate Santos misses two point jump shot
6:38		Jeremiah Cherry defensive rebound
6:24	+2	Jeremiah Cherry makes two point jump shot (Jalen Hill assists)	18-22
5:37		Enoch Cheeks turnover (lost ball) (Julian Rishwain steals)
5:37		Jeremiah Cherry turnover (bad pass) (Javon Bennett steals)
5:31		Jalen Hill personal foul
5:10		Enoch Cheeks misses two point jump shot
5:08		Jalen Hill defensive rebound
4:56	+2	Dedan Thomas Jr. makes two point layup	20-22
4:26		Nate Santos misses three point jump shot
4:24		Brooklyn Hicks defensive rebound
4:06	+2	Jaden Henley makes two point layup	22-22
3:47		Brooklyn Hicks personal foul
3:47		TV timeout
3:38	+2	Javon Bennett makes two point layup	22-24
3:01		Jalen Hill misses three point jump shot
2:59		Malachi Smith defensive rebound
2:46		Malachi Smith misses two point layup
2:44		Jaden Henley defensive rebound
2:38		Amaël L'Etang shooting foul (Jalen Hill draws the foul)
2:38	+1	Jalen Hill makes regular free throw 1 of 2	23-24
2:38	+1	Jalen Hill makes regular free throw 2 of 2	24-24
2:24		Nate Santos offensive foul
2:24		Nate Santos turnover (offensive foul)
2:01		Dedan Thomas Jr. misses two point jump shot
1:59		Posh Alexander defensive rebound
1:37		Jalen Hill shooting foul (Nate Santos draws the foul)
1:37	+1	Nate Santos makes regular free throw 1 of 2	24-25
1:37		Nate Santos misses regular free throw 2 of 2
1:37		Jeremiah Cherry defensive rebound
1:11		Jailen Bedford misses two point jump shot
1:09		Jaden Henley offensive rebound
1:04	+2	Jaden Henley makes two point layup	26-25
0:51		Javon Bennett turnover (bad pass) (Dedan Thomas Jr. steals)
0:47		Posh Alexander personal foul
0:40		Nate Santos shooting foul (Jaden Henley draws the foul)
0:40	+1	Jaden Henley makes regular free throw 1 of 2	27-25
0:40	+1	Jaden Henley makes regular free throw 2 of 2	28-25
0:35		Flyers 30 second timeout
0:35		TV timeout
0:28		Javon Bennett turnover (bad pass) (Jailen Bedford steals)
0:19		Jailen Bedford misses two point jump shot
0:17		Nate Santos defensive rebound
0:02	+2	Posh Alexander makes two point layup	28-27
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
UNLV
Rebels
37
DAYT
Flyers
39

Time		Play	Score
19:45	+2	Zed Key makes two point alley-oop dunk (Malachi Smith assists)	28-29
19:21		Jalen Hill misses two point jump shot
19:19		Zed Key defensive rebound
18:53		Jalen Hill shooting foul (Zed Key draws the foul)
18:53	+1	Zed Key makes regular free throw 1 of 2	28-30
18:53	+1	Zed Key makes regular free throw 2 of 2	28-31
18:41		Jailen Bedford misses three point jump shot
18:39		Enoch Cheeks defensive rebound
18:32	+3	Javon Bennett makes three point jump shot (Enoch Cheeks assists)	28-34
18:29		Runnin' Rebels 30 second timeout
18:29		TV timeout
18:18		Jailen Bedford turnover (lost ball) (Javon Bennett steals)
18:15		Dedan Thomas Jr. shooting foul (Enoch Cheeks draws the foul)
18:15	+1	Enoch Cheeks makes regular free throw 1 of 2	28-35
18:15	+1	Enoch Cheeks makes regular free throw 2 of 2	28-36
17:56		Nate Santos shooting foul (Jaden Henley draws the foul)
17:56	+1	Jaden Henley makes regular free throw 1 of 2	29-36
17:56	+1	Jaden Henley makes regular free throw 2 of 2	30-36
17:38	+2	Zed Key makes two point dunk (Malachi Smith assists)	30-38
17:08	+2	Dedan Thomas Jr. makes two point jump shot	32-38
16:38		Zed Key misses two point jump shot
16:36		Flyers offensive rebound
16:27		Jeremiah Cherry blocks Zed Key's two point jump shot
16:25		Jaden Henley defensive rebound
16:20		Jacob Conner shooting foul (Brooklyn Hicks draws the foul)
16:20		Brooklyn Hicks misses regular free throw 1 of 2
16:20	+1	Brooklyn Hicks makes regular free throw 2 of 2	33-38
16:00		Malachi Smith misses three point jump shot
15:58		Javon Bennett offensive rebound
15:41		Jacob Conner misses three point jump shot
15:39		Dedan Thomas Jr. defensive rebound
15:28	+2	Dedan Thomas Jr. makes two point jump shot	35-38
15:01		Malachi Smith turnover (bad pass)
15:01		TV timeout
14:36		Dedan Thomas Jr. misses three point jump shot
14:34		Pape N'Diaye offensive rebound
14:30		Pape N'Diaye misses two point jump shot
14:30		Jaden Henley offensive rebound
14:30	+2	Jaden Henley makes two point jump shot	37-38
14:01		Malachi Smith misses three point jump shot
13:59		Flyers offensive rebound
13:53	+2	Posh Alexander makes two point jump shot	37-40
13:35		Julian Rishwain misses three point jump shot
13:33		Enoch Cheeks defensive rebound
13:26		Jacob Conner misses three point jump shot
13:24		Julian Rishwain defensive rebound
13:13	+3	Brooklyn Hicks makes three point jump shot (Dedan Thomas Jr. assists)	40-40
12:49		Jaden Henley shooting foul (Malachi Smith draws the foul)
12:49		Malachi Smith misses regular free throw 1 of 2
12:49		Malachi Smith misses regular free throw 2 of 2
12:49		Brooklyn Hicks defensive rebound
12:19		Jeremiah Cherry misses two point jump shot
12:17		Enoch Cheeks defensive rebound
12:13		Posh Alexander misses three point jump shot
12:11		Dedan Thomas Jr. defensive rebound
11:53		Jeremiah Cherry misses two point hook shot
11:51		Amaël L'Etang defensive rebound
11:35	+3	Amaël L'Etang makes three point jump shot (Posh Alexander assists)	40-43
11:06		Jeremiah Cherry misses two point jump shot
11:04		Nate Santos defensive rebound
10:56	+2	Nate Santos makes two point driving layup	40-45
10:35	+3	Jailen Bedford makes three point jump shot (Jalen Hill assists)	43-45
10:09	+2	Nate Santos makes two point layup (Malachi Smith assists)	43-47
9:46		Brooklyn Hicks misses three point jump shot
9:44		Enoch Cheeks defensive rebound
9:42		Jailen Bedford personal foul (Enoch Cheeks draws the foul)
9:42		TV timeout
9:17	+2	Amaël L'Etang makes two point layup (Enoch Cheeks assists)	43-49
8:56		Jailen Bedford misses three point jump shot
8:54		Enoch Cheeks defensive rebound
8:41		Nate Santos misses three point jump shot
8:39		Julian Rishwain defensive rebound
8:30		Dedan Thomas Jr. misses two point driving layup
8:28		Dedan Thomas Jr. offensive rebound
8:28		Amaël L'Etang shooting foul (Dedan Thomas Jr. draws the foul)
8:28		Dedan Thomas Jr. misses regular free throw 1 of 2
8:28	+1	Dedan Thomas Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	44-49
8:15		Pape N'Diaye shooting foul (Nate Santos draws the foul)
8:15	+1	Nate Santos makes regular free throw 1 of 2	44-50
8:15	+1	Nate Santos makes regular free throw 2 of 2	44-51
8:05		Enoch Cheeks personal foul (Dedan Thomas Jr. draws the foul)
7:53	+3	Julian Rishwain makes three point jump shot	47-51
7:23		Posh Alexander misses two point driving layup
7:21		Pape N'Diaye defensive rebound
7:04		Nate Santos personal foul (Jaden Henley draws the foul)
7:04		TV timeout
7:02	+2	Jalen Hill makes two point layup (Dedan Thomas Jr. assists)	49-51
6:43		Javon Bennett misses three point jump shot
6:41		Jaden Henley defensive rebound
6:18		Dedan Thomas Jr. misses two point turnaround fadeaway jump shot
6:16		Jaiun Simon defensive rebound
6:06	+2	Malachi Smith makes two point jump shot (Javon Bennett assists)	49-53
5:50	+3	Julian Rishwain makes three point jump shot (Dedan Thomas Jr. assists)	52-53
5:20		Posh Alexander misses two point jump shot
5:18		Julian Rishwain defensive rebound
4:51		Jaiun Simon personal foul (Jaden Henley draws the foul)
4:31		Jalen Hill misses two point jump shot
4:29		Runnin' Rebels offensive rebound
4:29		Runnin' Rebels turnover (shot clock violation)
4:13		Malachi Smith misses three point jump shot
4:11		Pape N'Diaye defensive rebound
3:41		Dedan Thomas Jr. misses two point jump shot
3:39		Pape N'Diaye offensive rebound
3:37		TV timeout
3:34	+3	Julian Rishwain makes three point jump shot (Dedan Thomas Jr. assists)	55-53
3:23	+2	Zed Key makes two point layup (Enoch Cheeks assists)	55-55
3:23		Pape N'Diaye shooting foul (Zed Key draws the foul)
3:23	+1	Zed Key makes regular free throw 1 of 1	55-56
3:09		Runnin' Rebels 30 second timeout
3:09		TV timeout
3:05		Javon Bennett personal foul (Dedan Thomas Jr. draws the foul)
3:05	+1	Dedan Thomas Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	56-56
3:05	+1	Dedan Thomas Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	57-56
2:42		Javon Bennett misses three point stepback jump shot
2:40		Jaden Henley defensive rebound
2:16		Malachi Smith shooting foul (Dedan Thomas Jr. draws the foul)
2:16	+1	Dedan Thomas Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	58-56
2:16	+1	Dedan Thomas Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	59-56
2:11		Flyers 30 second timeout
1:47		Jeremiah Cherry shooting foul (Zed Key draws the foul)
1:47	+1	Zed Key makes regular free throw 1 of 2	59-57
1:47	+1	Zed Key makes regular free throw 2 of 2	59-58
1:25	+2	Jaden Henley makes two point jump shot	61-58
1:25		Javon Bennett shooting foul (Jaden Henley draws the foul)
1:25		Flyers 30 second timeout
1:25	+1	Jaden Henley makes regular free throw 1 of 1	62-58
1:16	+3	Nate Santos makes three point jump shot (Malachi Smith assists)	62-61
0:43		Dedan Thomas Jr. misses three point jump shot
0:41		Enoch Cheeks defensive rebound
0:36	+2	Malachi Smith makes two point driving layup (Enoch Cheeks assists)	62-63
0:36		Runnin' Rebels 60 second timeout
0:23	+3	Julian Rishwain makes three point jump shot (Jaden Henley assists)	65-63
0:23		Flyers 60 second timeout
0:07	+2	Malachi Smith makes two point layup	65-65
0:07		Brooklyn Hicks shooting foul (Malachi Smith draws the foul)
0:07	+1	Malachi Smith makes regular free throw 1 of 1	65-66
0:00		Dedan Thomas Jr. misses two point jump shot
0:00		Enoch Cheeks defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

Enoch Cheeks defensive rebound