Nov. 1, 2004
ORLANDO - Takira Allen (Tallahassee, Fla./Quincy Shanks HS), Ali Roberts (Pensacola, Fla./Pensacola Catholic HS) and Celeste Hudson (Altamonte Springs, Fla./Lyman HS) plan to lead the UCF women's basketball team to a third straight Atlantic Sun Title. The Golden Knights will begin exhibition play Tuesday, November 2 when they take on the Miami Suns in the UCF Arena at 7 p.m.
UCF is returning all five starters from the 2003-04 campaign. The only player that the Golden Knights lost was Adrienne Billings. The 2004-05 team is led by the two seniors Allen and Roberts followed by juniors Celeste Hudson (Longwood, Fla./Lyman HS), LaShay King (Port St. Lucie, Fla./Port St. Lucie HS) and Shayla Smith (Kingsland, Ga./Camden County HS).
Hudson was named to the Atlantic Sun All-Conference First Team after leading the team in points (404), free throw percentage (.793), steals (23) and three-point field goal percentage (.348) while Allen was named to the Atlantic Sun All-Conference Second Team after she lead the team in rebounds (205). Hudson and Roberts earned a spot on the Atlantic Sun All-Tournament Team after putting up stealer numbers in the A-Sun Tournament. Roberts was 11 of 19 for field goals and 3 of 7 for free throws totaling 25 points, grabbed 22 rebounds, had three assists, two blocks and one steal while Hudson was 16 of 47 for field goals, 14 of 26 for three-point field goals and 9 of 10 for free throws totaling 55 points, grabbed 26 rebounds, had 13 assists and four steals.
Off the bench, the Golden Knights have a solid back-up plan. Junior Shelby Weber (Sarasota, Fla./Sarasota HS) and sophomores Keunta Miles (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla./South Broward HS) and Lashaunda Slade (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla./South Broward HS) have proven to be clutch off of the bench. Weber has seen action in 54 games during her two years at UCF starting in 12 of those. She is 73 of 173 for field goals, one of five for three-point field goals and 37 of 57 for free throws totaling 184 points while grabbing 195 rebounds. Miles played in 20 games during her freshman season shooting 21 of 42 on field goals and 10 of 19 on free throws totaling 52 points while grabbing 33 rebounds. Slade played in 29 games during her first season as a Knight while starting in three of those. She was 29 of 124 for field goals, 14 of 65 for three-point field goals and 10 of 33 for free throws totaling 82 points while grabbing 82 rebounds.
Francine Houston (Bradenton, Fla./Southeast HS), Claudia Johnson (Ripley, Miss./Ripley HS), Jeralynn Campbell (Thontassassa, Fla./Armwood HS) and Courtney Stroud (Charlotte, N.C./Providence Day School) are all coming off redshirt seasons and ready for action. Houston joined the Knights in the summer of 2003 after spending her freshman season at Florida State where she saw action 10 games scoring 11 points and grabbing five rebounds. Johnson sat out last season due to injury after playing in 27 games during the 2002-03 season scoring eight points and grabbing 15 rebounds. Campbell joined the UCF team in the winter of 2002 where she sat out a season due to NCAA Transfer rules and then was injured in the first exhibition game of the 2003-04 season and took a medical redshirt for that season. This season will be Stroud's first season with the Golden Knights after sitting out last year.
Transferring from LSU during the summer, Amber Long (Irmo, S.C./Dutch Fork HS) will be sitting out during the 2004-05 season due to NCAA Transfer rules. While at LSU, Long saw action in 11 games scoring 15 points while grabbing six rebounds.
Tickets for Tuesday's game are still available. Adults are $5. Youth age 17 and under and seniors age 55 and older pay $3. Children under five and UCF students with a valid UCF student I.D. are admitted free. Tickets for all Golden Knights women's basketball games are available at the door and by calling (407) UCF-GOLD.