ORLANDO – The UCF men's basketball team is playing some of its best basketball at the right time. The Knights have won four in a row and are set to open up American Athletic Conference Championship action this Thursday, March 11. UCF is the sixth seed and will play 11th seeded ECU at 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT from Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, with coverage on ESPNU and FM 96.9 The Game.
The Knights (10-11, 8-10) have also won six of their last eight games down the stretch of the regular season, with both losses coming by one point. UCF will need to win four games in four days to win the conference title and earn the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.
UCF squares off with ECU (8-10, 2-10) for the third time this season after winning both games against the Pirates during the regular season. A victory against ECU would lead to a third matchup this season against Memphis. The Tigers are the third seed in the tourney and would take on the Knights Friday at 10 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
After falling to the Knights on March 4, ECU finished up its regular season slate against Cincinnati, falling to the Bearcats 82-69 on Sunday. The Pirates only have two conference wins this season, but one of them was a 82-73 home victory over then fifth-ranked Houston on Feb. 3.
UCF leads the all-time series over ECU, 25-9, and the Knights have won each of the last 11 meetings between the two teams. The last time ECU defeated UCF it was in the AAC Tournament, an 81-80 overtime victory in first-round action on March 12, 2015.
Game Information
Date: Thursday, March 11
Time: 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT
TV: ESPNU
Radio: FM 96.9 The Game
Won Four Straight to End Regular Season
- UCF has won four consecutive games to end the regular season and six of its last eight heading into the American Athletic Conference Tournament.
- The Knights offense is up, scoring 75.5 points per game - 8.3 more points per game than their season average (67.2).
- UCF has been more efficient, shooting 48.8 percent from the floor and 39.4 percent from 3-point range, compared to season averages of 43.1 percent and 36.1 percent, respectively.
- Even the free throw shooting has been better, hitting at 79.1 percent during the last four games, compared to 73.6 percent on the season.
- The Knights have also averaged 15.2 assist per game, as compared to their season average of 12.1 per contest.
Mr. Basketball Makes His Mark
- That Big 3 doesn't even include freshman forward Isaiah Adams, who has led the way during the recent four-game winning streak.
- The former Florida Mr. Basketball is averaging 17.8 points per game on 61.9 percent shooting from the field and 59.1 percent from 3-point range during the stretch.
- He had a career-high 26 in the win at Tulane on Feb. 20, going 10-of-11 from the field, the seventh best shooting performance in program history.
- Adams is averaging 9.8 points per game on the season, which is second most among all frehsmen in the AAC and the most among true freshmen.
Switching Up The Starters
- The Knights used 11 different starting lineups in 21 regular season games.
- Eight different players have seen time in the starting lineup; Perry, Mahan, Green, Adams, sophomore forward C.J. Walker, freshman forward Jamille Reynolds, sophomore guard Dre Fuller Jr., and junior forward Sean Mobley.
- The most used lineup has only been together five times on the season.
- Perry, Green, Mahan, Walker, Reynolds - 3-2 on the year
- There are four lineups that have been used just once and won the only game played.
- Perry, Green, Fuller, Adams, Reynolds - W, 64-60 at ECU (March 4)
- Perry, Green, Mahan, Adams, Reynolds - W, 73-69 vs. Tulsa (March 2)
- Perry, Green, Adams, Walker, Reynolds - W, 53-49 vs. Tulane (Feb. 12)
- Fuller, Green, Mahan, Mobley, Reynolds - W, 63-55 vs. Auburn (Nov. 30)
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