Dec. 30, 2007
Orlando, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - Following a short break from competition for the holiday season, the UCF women's basketball team returns to action Dec. 31 when they travel to DeLand, Fla., for an in-state match-up with Stetson. Tip-off for the game is set for Noon.
Previewing Stetson
The Hatters face the Knights with a 2-9 record on the season, registering wins over Bethune-Cookman in mid-November and Presbyterian right before the holiday break. Tierra Brown leads Stetson with a 9.1 points-per-game average, while Sharnesha Smith paces the Hatters in assists (32), steals (21) and minutes played (370).
The Series
? Monday's contest marks the 59th meeting between the two teams, with the Knights holding a 32-26 advantage over the Hatters.
? In its last outing with Stetson, UCF fell to the Hatters, 61-59, in the second round of the Atlantic Sun Championship on March 11, 2005. Alli Roberts paced the Knights with 19 points, while Shelby Webber had a team-high 12 rebounds. The previous two contests between the two teams that season resulted in victories for the Black and Gold, 65-45 and 54-49.
? The Knights and the Hatters will play each other for the first time since UCF joined Conference USA for the 2005-06 season.
Last Outing
Freshman forward Tia Lewis (Poulan, Ga.) recorded her eighth double-double of the season with a team-high 17 points and 13 rebounds to lead the UCF women's basketball team to a 76-73 victory over UNC Greensboro (1-10) Thursday night at the new UCF Arena as part of the UCF Holiday Classic. The Knights (6-6) had four players score at least 15 points in the game, with two players recording double-doubles.
Chelsie Wiley (Riviera Beach, Fla.) had a career-high 16 points, while Marshay White (Rochester, N.Y.) and Emma Cannon (Rochester, N.Y.) both posted 15 points against the Spartans, with Cannon adding 10 boards for her seventh double-double of the season.
Up Next
The Knights return home to the new UCF Arena for the first time in 2008 for their Conference USA opener against Southern Miss on Saturday, Jan. 5. Tip-off for the contest is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Big on the Boards
As a team, UCF leads Conference USA in both rebounding and rebounding margin. The Knights are averaging 44.4 rebounds per game, a mark that gives them a 9.9 advantage over their competition. The Black and Gold has outrebounded its opponent in eight of its 12 games, which includes a 34-point advantage in the Nov. 28 game against Bethune-Cookman.
Tops in the League
Freshman Tia Lewis ranks in the top-10 in the league in six different categories through the Knights first 12 games. The Poulan, Ga., native leads C-USA in rebounds per game (11.7), field goal percentage (.619) and offensive and defensive rebounds per game with 3.83 and 7.83, respectively. Lewis ties for the third spot in average minutes played (33.75) while ranking seventh in points per game (14.3).
For the latest news and information on the Knights, tickets or apparel log on to www.ucfathletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. Also check out UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pics.
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