Dec. 28, 2006
Orlando, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - Seniors Keunta Miles (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./South Broward) and Francine Houston (Bradenton, Fla./Florida State) each scored in double figures to lead the UCF women's basketball team to its fourth-straight victory, a 59-47 decision over Iona on Thursday night at the UCF Arena.
Miles, who had a game-high 15 points, also corralled a career-high 12 rebounds as she recorded her third double-double of the season. Houston scored 11 of her 14 points in the second half to help hold off a late rally by the Gaels. The four-game winning streak is the longest for UCF (5-8) since a pair of seven-game winning streaks during the 2004-05 season. Iona (6-6) saw its three-game winning streak come to an end.
The Golden Knights opened the game scoring the first four points, holding the Gaels off the scoreboard until a three-pointer by Lauren DeFalco at the 16:27 mark. The trey sparked a 7-0 run by the visitors, but their lead would be short-lived. UCF used a 9-0 spurt to combat the Iona run to gain a 15-9 advantage that the Knights would not relinquish.
UCF's six-point lead held up throughout the remainder of the half as both teams would score just 11 points each over the final 11:00. Miles made 4-of-8 field goals in the half, while the rest of the Golden Knights struggled from the floor, making just 7-of-30 attempts.
Iona did not fair much better from the floor, shooting 29.2 percent (7-of-24), while turning the ball over 15 times in the opening half.
The Golden Knights opened the second half on an 8-0 run as Houston took advantage of a double-technical foul on Iona, converting all four free throw attempts after UCF made just 3-of-11 attempts from the foul line in the first half. The spurt gave UCF its largest lead of the game at 34-20.
The UCF defense held the Gaels without a field goal for the opening 7:49 of the second stanza. Iona managed just four free throws during that span before Tiara Headen made a lay-up.
The Gaels went on a 14-5 run midway through the second half to close the margin to five points at 39-34. However, junior Amber Long (Irmo, S.C./LSU) sparked a quick 7-0 run by UCF as the Knights regained a double-digit advantage at 46-34. Long had five of those points, including a three-pointer from the wing that turned into a five-point possession for UCF as Miles was fouled during the play and made a pair of free throws.
Iona crept back to within five points one more time at 48-43 with 4:42 to play on a lay-up by Toni Horvath. Houston answered with a three-pointer and Miles added a lay-up to quickly build the lead back to 10 points in less than a minute.
UCF went 13-for-19 from the stripe after the break to help secure the victory. Iona was led in scoring and rebounding by Anna McLean, who had nine and eight, respectively.
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