Oct. 9, 2006
ORLANDO - As the UCF men's basketball team approaches the first day of practice on Saturday, senior forward Josh Peppers (Memphis, Tenn./Whitehaven HS) continues to receive preseason honors. Athlon's College Basketball preview has selected Peppers to its preseason All-Conference USA First Team.
One of the top offensive players in the league, Peppers averaged 13.7 points a year ago and is C-USA's third-leading returning scorer. He recorded double-figures in scoring on 21 occasions last year and connected on 59 3-pointers.
Peppers was joined on Athlon's all-league first team by Rice forward Morris Almond, Memphis guard Antonio Anderson, Memphis forward Joey Dorsey and Houston guard Oliver Lafayette. In September, Peppers also earned preseason all-league first team honors from Lindy's College Basketball preview.
A pair of other preview magazines, CBSSportsline.com and The Sporting News, both recognized Peppers as an all-conference second team performer. C-USA will announce its preseason honors at its annual media day event later this month.
Junior center Stanley Billings (Orlando, Fla./Oak Ridge HS) also earned recognition in The Sporting News preview, as the publication rated him as the 10th-best junior-college transfer in the nation. Billings averaged 13.9 points, nine rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game as a sophomore last year at Independence Community College in Kansas. The 6-foot-11 center graduated from Oak Ridge High School in Orlando in 1996. Following high school, he spent eight years in the Marines.
The Golden Knights open the 2006-07 regular season against cross-town foe Rollins on Nov. 15 at the UCF Arena. UCF will play 16 contests at home, including eight in league play. This year will mark the program's final campaign at the UCF Arena as the Golden Knights will move into the new Convocation Center in the fall of 2007.
In the last four years, head coach Kirk Speraw's team has won 84 games, a mark that ranks 39th nationally and second among all programs in the state of Florida. The Golden Knights have played in two of the last three NCAA Tournaments.
Season tickets are currently on sale. Call 407-UCF-1000 for more information or to purchase tickets. For the latest news and information on the Golden Knights, tickets or apparel, log on to www.ucfathletics.com - the official site for UCF athletics.