Aug. 10, 2005
NOORDWIJK, Holland - Junior forward Josh Peppers recorded a game-high 19 points as the UCF men's basketball team had seven players finish with double-figures in scoring as the Golden Knights ran past MSV, 101-56, in an exhibition game in Noordwijk, Holland on Wednesday evening. UCF improves to 2-0 on its six-game European tour.
Sophomore guard Dave Noel added 16 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Behind 7-of-9 shooting from the floor, senior forward Anthony Williams scored 14 points and also blocked three shots.
UCF started the game strong, shooting 9-of-12 (75 percent) overall in the first quarter and led 25-13 after 10 minutes. The Golden Knights raced out to a 13-2 advantage with 7:20 to go in the opening stanza after sophomore guard Mike O'Donnell recorded a steal and found Williams for a wide-open layup.
MSV is one of Holland's eight second-division squads. The Golden Knights pulled away in the second half, leading by as many as 47 points on its way to the win.
On the boards, UCF dominated, holding a 38-20 edge. For the game, the Golden Knights shot 60 percent overall from the field and also hit nine treys.
The hosts recovered from a turnover-filled first quarter, using eight second quarter points from Gerald Robinson to keep the score respectable at the break, as UCF led 44-30 at halftime.
The visitors ran away from MSV in the third. With seconds remaining in the quarter, Noel recorded a steal and found senior guard Justin Rose beneath the basket for an easy dunk as time expired to put UCF up, 71-40, with 10 minutes to play.
Senior guard Troy Lindbeck connected on four triples and finished with 12 points. Senior forward Marcus Johnson also totaled 12 points. In addition to tallying seven assists, O'Donnell had 10 points.
Edwin Engelhart paced MSV with 13 points. The hosts shot just 38.2 percent for the game.
The Golden Knights continue their tour on Friday, traveling to Brussels, Belgium to face the Gent Dragons.
Notes: The Golden Knights spent Wednesday morning sightseeing in Amsterdam. The coaches and players toured the historic city on a canal tour. Following the tour, the group shopped in a busy retail area... Several players became familiar with the city's main form of transportation as they rented bicycles and toured the area on their own... The squad bussed to Noordwijk. The town is about 45 minutes away from Amsterdam and is located near the North Sea... MSV featured a unique homecourt. The floor in the small gym was a green, rubber-based surface... Wednesday was another cool day in Amsterdam, with temperatures in the high-50s... With no game scheduled for Thursday, the UCF contingent is slated to tour the Netherlands countryside.