Dec. 30, 2006
ORLANDO, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - The UCF men's basketball team will be seeking its ninth-straight victory at home when it faces Texas-Pan Am on Saturday in the UCF Holiday Classic championship. Tip-off against the Broncs is set for 7:30 p.m. at the UCF Arena. James Madison and New Jersey Tech will meet at 5 p.m.
The Golden Knights (9-2) will be playing against a familiar face on Saturday. Former Golden Knight assistant coach Tom Schuberth is in his first year guiding the Broncs, who are 8-5 this season. Schuberth was on UCF's staff from 2002-06, helping the squad to two trips to the NCAA Tournament.
On Friday, UCF opened the tournament with a 75-63 win over New Jersey Tech. Junior guard Mike O'Donnell (Largo, Fla./Largo) paced the hosts with 18 points and senior forward Josh Peppers (Memphis, Tenn./Whitehaven) added 17. Junior guard Dave Noel (Boynton Beach, Fla./Boynton Beach) recorded 10 points and a career-high eight assists.
UCF shot 48 percent overall for the contest and 55 percent (11-of-20) from 3-point range. O'Donnell connected on four triples.
The Broncs advanced to the championship game following a 70-57 win over James Madison on Friday. Four Texas-Pan Am players finished with double-figures in scoring, led by Brian Burrell with 23 points. Colin Lien had a double-double in the win with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
A year ago, Texas-Pan Am won just six games. With its win over the Dukes on Friday, the team has claimed three-straight contests.
The Golden Knights are 4-0 all-time against Texas-Pan Am, including a 2-0 mark in Orlando. From 1990-92, the programs were league foes, first in the American South, then in the Sun Belt.
Tickets are available by visiting www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 407-839-3900. Season tickets are also currently available by calling 407-UCF-1000.
Saturday's contest will be aired live on the UCF ISP Sports Network and its flagship station, 740 THE TEAM AM in Orlando. Marc Daniels will have the call live from courtside. Live audio for the game and statistics will be available at www.ucfathletics.com.