Kansas rallies to defeat Dayton in overtime for third Maui Invitational title

LAHAINA >> “Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk” reigns supreme on Maui once again.

The No. 4 Kansas Jayhawks rallied from a late deficit to beat Dayton Flyers 90-84 in overtime and earn their third title in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational today at a raucous Lahaina Civic Center.

Kansas (6-1), which also hoisted the Wayne Duke Trophy in 1996 and 2015, went on a late 11-0 run in regulation to go from eight points down to three up in.

But Dayton guard Jalen Crutcher sank a clutch 3-pointer with three seconds left to tie it at 73. Kansas was unable to sink a running 3 in the final 1.4 seconds and they went to overtime.

The Big 12 blue blood turned to 7-foot senior center Udoka Azubuike in the extra period. He scored his team’s first nine points of OT and fouled out with 29 points on 12-for-15 shooting.

Point guard Devon Dotson, scored a game-high 31 on 11-for-16 shooting. KU shot 55.9 percent for the game and won in paint points, 52-22 to counter 16-for-33 shooting on 3-pointers for Dayton (6-1) of the Atlantic 10 Conference.

Azubuike and Dotson were named co-MVPs of the tournament.

Dayton, which had dominated inside in wins on the first two days of the tourney against Georgia and Virginia Tech, found the going much tougher against the likes of the bruising Azubuike.

Forward Obi Toppin (18 points, nine rebounds) did not attempt a shot until under six minutes remained in the first half. He airballed a 3, but came right back with a scoop layup for a 29-27 lead.

The Flyers took advantage of Azubuike’s absence with his second foul and held a 37-36 advantage at halftime.

The teams traded leads early in the second half, until Crutcher’s consecutive corner 3s, from opposite sides, made it 63-58 Flyers with 8:17 to go. Ibi Watson followed with a deep one to make it an 8-point game.

Kansas scored on three straight drives, two by Dotson, to launch an 8-0 run to tie it up.

Azubuike got deep position on Toppin and scored a three-point play with 2:25 left for a 69-66 KU lead. Toppin finally ended the 11-0 run with a pair of free throws.

Dotson converted two at the line when the Flyers had to foul with 19 seconds left, making it 73-70. Crutcher allowed the clock to wind down to almost nothing before he took a top-arc 3 and found all net to tie it up with 2.1 seconds left.

Azubuike couldn’t be stopped in the first few minutes of OT as he went 3-for-3 from both the field and the line. Garrett made a tough reverse layup to make it 87-82, but Azubuike fouled out on Rodney Chatman’s 3-point attempt with 27.3 seconds left. Chapman made two of three to cut it to three.

KU turned it over under pressure but Crutcher missed a floater and the Jayhawks sealed it at the line.