Dec. 7, 2006
Orlando, Fla. (www.UCFAthletics.com) - The UCF Athletic Association will be offering a special discount ticket promotion for this Saturday's men's and women's basketball action-packed doubleheader at the UCF Arena. The UCF women start the day with a battle against in-state rival and nationally-ranked Florida State at 5:30 p.m. followed by a 7:30 p.m. tip-off between the undefeated UCF men and rookie coaching sensation Rex Walters' Florida Atlantic Owls.
If you purchase a single-game ticket, or if you currently have one, that ticket will allow you entry into both games. Tickets for home basketball games are available by calling (407) UCF-1000. For additional information on ticket prices log on to www.ucfathletics.com - the official site for UCF athletics.
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Women's basketball (1-6) faces a 25th-ranked Florida State team that comes to Orlando with an impressive 9-1 record and is led by sophomore forward Britany Miller and senior guard Alicia Gladden. The duo scored a combined 41 points in FSU's recent, 70-44, win over Stetson Wednesday night. Miller currently leads the Seminoles with 14.5 points per game and Gladden sits just behind her, averaging 14 points an outing.
UCF senior guard Francine Houston scored a game-high 23 points in UCF's most recent outing against Georgia Southern to become the team's leading scorer at 11.9 points per outing. A transfer from FSU prior to the 2003-04 season, she recorded a team-high 13 points against the Seminoles last season in Tallahassee.
UCF and Florida State have met 13 times since the series began during the 1977-78 season and FSU holds an 11-2 advantage. The Seminoles have won the last seven games, including an 81-49 defeat in Tallahassee, Fla. on Dec. 4, 2005. The Golden Knights' last victory against their in-state rival was a 98-90 decision in Orlando on Jan. 18, 1986.
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At the conclusion of the women's game, Kirk Speraw's undefeated men's team (5-0) will take on Florida Atlantic. The Golden Knights will be looking for their first 6-0 start since the 1979-80 season. UCF has defeated its five opponents in 2006-07 by an average of 26.4 points, good for fourth nationally. The squad ranks ninth in the country in assists per game (19.2) and 21st in scoring offense (83.4).
Sophomore guard Jermaine Taylor, UCF's top scorer at 17.4 points per contest, is 13th in the nation in 3-point field-goal percentage. The local product from Tavares has scored in double-figures in all five of the team's games. Senior forward Josh Peppers needs just five points to become the 13th 1,000-point scorer in program history. He had 24 points in UCF's 99-62 victory over visiting Jacksonville on Nov. 27.
The Golden Knights lead the all-time series with Florida Atlantic, 20-7. UCF and the Owls were Atlantic Sun Conference rivals from 1993-05.