Feb. 9, 2005
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
ORLANDO - The UCF men's basketball team heads up I-4 to face Stetson on Thursday, Feb. 10 at 8:15 p.m. The Golden Knights enter the contest 15-7 overall and 8-6 in Atlantic Sun play, while Stetson is 10-12 and 8-7 in the league.
ABOUT UCF The Golden Knights are seeking their fourth-consecutive victory when they travel to Stetson. UCF is playing the second of three-straight games on the road. The team does not play again in Orlando until Feb. 17.
Gary Johnson is UCF's top scorer, leading the team with a 12.4 points per game average. Josh Peppers (12.3) and Anthony Williams (11.5) are the other Golden Knights averaging double-digits in scoring. Williams is tops on the team in rebounding, grabbing six boards per contest. Johnson has totaled 81 assists and 44 steals to pace the squad in both categories.
Over his last four contests, Williams is averaging 14.5 points and 9.3 rebounds. He has notched double-doubles in two of those games.
As a team, UCF is averaging 69 points per outing and shooting 45.6 percent from the field. On the glass, the Golden Knights hold a +7.0 rebounding margin.
ABOUT STETSON The Hatters have won three of their last four, including a 73-71 game at Lipscomb on Feb. 5. Against the Bison, junior guard Anthony Register had a game-high 21 points. Fellow junior guard E.J. Gordon added 19 points and 10 boards for the double-double.
As a team, Stetson made 7-of-14 shots from three-point range. Register leads the team in scoring at 15.5 points per game, followed by Gordon (13.5). Senior forward Borislav Djordjic is among the Atlantic Sun leaders in rebounding and is averaging 6.9 boards an outing.
Stetson is averaging 65.7 points per game, the second-lowest total in the league, while allowing 71.1. The Hatters are the top free-throw shooting team in the conference, hitting at a 72.1 percent clip. The squad ranks ninth in field-goal percentage (42.2) and last in three-point field-goal percentage (31.5).
SERIES HISTORY UCF leads the all-time series, 18-15, and has won the last seven contests. Stetson's last victory in the series came on Jan. 27, 2001 (83-65 in DeLand). In DeLand, both squads have won seven contests.
The teams met in Orlando on Jan. 11, with the Golden Knights claiming a 70-66 victory. Marcus Johnson scored a career-high 18 points for UCF and Gary Johnson sank a pair of foul shots down the stretch to seal the win. Marcus Avant scored 17 points for the hosts, who shot 55.6 percent from the field. Gary Johnson and Josh Peppers each hit four treys and finished with 14 points apiece. Anthony Register led Stetson with 20 points.
Under head coach Kirk Speraw, UCF is 16-8 against the Hatters.
ON THE AIR UCF-Stetson will be broadcast live on on the UCF ISP Sports Network and its flagship station, 740-THE TEAM (AM). Marc Daniels will call all of the action from courtside.
ON DECK The Golden Knights head north to face Jacksonville on Feb. 12... The all-time series is tied, with both teams winning 10 games... In Jacksonville, the Dolphins have an 8-3 series edge. UCF's last victory at Jacksonville came on Jan. 19, 2000... Both squads met in Orlando on Jan. 9. The Golden Knights claimed a 75-57 win at UCF Arena.