Kansas Drops Tight Contest to Dayton in Fort Myers Finale

Saturday, November 29

Fort Myers, Fla.

6:30 p.m. CT

University of Kansas

Dayton

Kansas Drops Tight Contest to Dayton in Fort Myers Finale

11/29/2025 9:46:00 PM | Women's Basketball

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FORT MYERS, Fla. – Kansas overcame an 11-point first half deficit, but Dayton held off the Jayhawks for a 59-58 victory Saturday in the final game of the Fort Myers Tip-Off at Suncoast Credit Union Arena.

Kansas had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but S'Mya Nichols fell to the ground on her final drive and time expired as Dayton held on for the win.

Elle Evans led the Jayhawks with 16 points, while Regan Williams and Lilly Meister had 11 apiece. Keeley Parks had five points and Nichols was held to a career-low four points, one night after scoring a career-high 40 in KU's matchup with Georgia. Williams pulled down a team-high four rebounds while Meister recorded a career-high four blocked shots.

Evans was 4-for-9 from downtown as she knocked down the 200th three-pointer of her career. She is now the 19th active player in NCAA Division I women's basketball with 200 or more made three-pointers in her career.

After going 0-2 in Fort Myers, Kansas is now 6-2 on the year while Dayton improved to 4-3.

Dayton scored the first nine points of the game and held Kansas without a basket until the 7:24 mark, when Parks knocked down a three-pointer. Parks finished off a quick 5-0 run with a steal and breakaway layup, which cut the Flyers lead to 9-5 at the 7:06 mark. The Dayton advantage grew to 18-9 at the first media break, prompting Kansas coach Brandon Schneider to sub in a new lineup of five. Libby Fandel, Nadira Eltayeb and Laia Conesa all had baskets as KU closed to within six before Dayton hit a pair of free throws to lead 24-16 at the end of the first.

Evans opened the second quarter with a pair of three-pointers, the second of which made it a two-point game at 24-22 with 7:30 to play in the half. Dayton responded with the next five points before Williams scored a three and Fandel added a bucket as KU got within three at halftime, trailing 33-30.

Kansas opened the second half with a 7-0 run, taking its first lead of the night on a three-pointer from Evans that put KU up 35-33 at the 7:57 mark of the third. The lead reached four as Evans hit another jumper, but Dayton answered with a pair of three-pointers and tied the game at 39-all with 5:58 remaining in the quarter. The game was tied twice more in the quarter, but Dayton scored the last two baskets to take a 46-44 lead with 10 minutes to play.

Meister canned a three-pointer on KU's opening possession of the fourth quarter, starting a 5-0 burst that put KU back on top 49-46 after a Tatyonna Brown basket. Dayton scored the next seven points, building a 53-49 lead before Meister scored the next four points to tie the game at 53-all with 1:49 to play.

Dayton scored on their next possession and took a four-point lead on free throws with 21 seconds to play. The teams then took turns hitting two free throws before Evans hit a three-pointer to get Kansas within one with seven seconds to play. The Flyers then missed two free throws, giving KU possession with a chance to win the game. Nichols drove and hit the floor, but no foul was called as time ran out and Dayton claimed the 59-58 victory.

Kansas plays its first true road game of the 2025-26 season on Wednesday, Dec. 3, with a trip to Evanston, Illinois, to face Northwestern. That game will tip at 7 p.m. CT and be broadcast on B1G+.