Jan. 31, 2007
Box Score | Notes | Photo Gallery
ORLANDO, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - A team-high 20 points from senior forward Josh Peppers (Memphis, Tenn./Whitehaven) was not enough as 11th-ranked Memphis used a strong inside presence to top host UCF, 87-65, in Conference USA action at the UCF Arena on Wednesday evening. The game was played in front of a school record 4,805 fans.
The loss snapped a 12-game home winning streak for the Golden Knights (15-6, 4-3 C-USA). The Tigers, who improved to 18-3 and 8-0, were the highest-ranked team to visit the UCF Arena.
Memphis scored 50 of its 87 points in the paint as forward Joey Dorsey finished with 22 points on 10-of-13 shooting. Teammate Chris Douglas-Roberts totaled 23 points and made 9-of-13 from the field. The Tigers forced 22 UCF turnovers.
"Give Memphis credit. They are the No. 11 team in the nation for a reason," said UCF head coach Kirk Speraw. "Our main priority was to take care of the basketball and we didn't. We couldn't follow a good bucket with a stop. It was probably our worst game all year executing the defensive gameplan."
Douglas-Roberts scored six points as Memphis raced out to an 18-7 lead eight minutes into the ballgame. UCF stayed close as the hosts made nine-straight field-goals during a 17-11 run. When junior Mike O'Donnell (Largo, Fla./Largo) drained a jumper with 5:15 on the clock in the opening period, UCF cut the Tigers' edge to 29-24.
The Tigers, who shot 59.3 percent in the opening stanza and 57.9 percent for the game, closed the half with a 13-3 run. Douglas-Roberts sparked the spurt with a jumper and Memphis took a 42-27 edge into intermission.
The hosts were unable to get closer than 12 points in the second half. UCF shot 50 percent from the field for the game and became the first squad to shoot 50 percent or better this season against the Tigers.
Peppers went 8-of-9 at the free-throw line and paced the Golden Knights with five rebounds. O'Donnell and senior forward Lavell Payne (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Dillard) both finished with nine points.
UCF concludes a two-game homestand on Saturday, hosting Tulsa at 7:30 p.m.
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