Wed Nov 27 19:40:00 UTC 2024: **Colorado Upsets No. 2 UConn in Maui Invitational Thriller**
LAHAINA, Hawaii — In a stunning upset, the unranked Colorado Buffaloes defeated the No. 2 ranked UConn Huskies 73-72 in the Maui Invitational on Tuesday. Andrej Jakimovski’s off-balance layup with eight seconds remaining sealed the victory for Colorado, handing UConn its second consecutive loss after a previous overtime defeat against Memphis.
UConn, the two-time defending national champion, led by nine points early in the second half, but Colorado’s strong second-half performance, shooting 62.5% from the field, erased the deficit. The Huskies’ Liam McNeeley led all scorers with 20 points, while Colorado’s Elijah Malone and Julian Hammond III each contributed 16. Jakimovski finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
UConn coach Dan Hurley expressed disappointment, noting that his team failed to maintain their lead, a rarity for a program that had enjoyed a 17-game winning streak prior to the tournament. This marks the fifth time in AP Poll history that a ranked team has lost two games by two points or less on consecutive days.
Colorado, after a poor showing against Michigan State on Monday, showed significant improvement in their shooting accuracy against UConn. They dominated the boards, out-rebounding the Huskies 28-26. The Buffaloes will now face Iowa State in the fifth-place game, while UConn will play Dayton in the seventh-place game.
First Piper 