After missing the last two games and three of the last four with wrist and back injuries, Cooke scored nine points on 3-of-11 shooting. He committed seven turnovers in 23 minutes. Cooke didn’t play well. Neither did anyone else.
“He had a hard game,” Dayton coach Archie Miller said. “I thought he started off pretty good. The seven turnovers is something we’ll take a look at. I don’t know how many were forced or unforced. Clearly, his first game back wasn’t his best, but he’s going to have to get back in the mix and find some rhythm.”
Smith's night: Scoochie Smith, who was named the Atlantic 10 Player of the Week on Monday, scored nine points on 3-of-9 shooting. He made 1 of 5 shots from behind the arc.
Smith picked up his second foul midway through the first half. Miller rarely puts players back on the court in the first half with two fouls. When UMass went on an 18-6 run with Smith on the bench, he returned to the game with 3:49 to play in the half. Dayton ended the half on a 6-3 run.
“I think it really impacted us,” Miller said. “We need him on the floor. It’s the first time in a while he’s fouled. He’s never sat eight straight minutes or 10 straight minutes. It’s going to happen. We have to be able to adjust.”
Next game: The Flyers (12-4, 3-1) play Duquesne (9-8, 2-2) at noon Saturday at PPG Paints Arena, formerly the CONSOL Energy Center, in Pittsburgh. The Dukes beat Saint Louis (4-12, 0-4) 73-66 on Wednesday.
Dayton has won six of the last seven games against Duquesne. The Flyers swept the season series last year, 66-58 at Duquesne and 76-74 at UD Arena. Duquesne’s four leading scorers this season — freshman Mike Lewis II (12.7 points per game), Niagara transfer Emile Blackman (11.7), freshman Isiaha Mike (9.9) and Nebraska transfer Tarin Smith (9.9)— are new.
Duquesne opened A-10 play with a 75-72 victory at Fordham and then lost 94-87 at home to Virginia Commonwealth and 88-81 at La Salle. Through Tuesday, Duquesne ranked 201st in the RPI. Dayton ranked 27th.
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