Jan. 26, 2008
DALLAS (www.ucfathletics.com) - Junior guard Jermaine Taylor (Tavares, Fla./Tavares) scored a team-high 26 points, including a 3-pointer to send the game into an extra session, but it was not enough as the UCF men's basketball team fell 69-67 in overtime at SMU on Saturday evening at Moody Coliseum. The Conference USA loss snaps a four-game winning streak for the Knights (11-8, 4-1 C-USA).
UCF tied the game at 67 with 46 seconds left in overtime after senior guard Mike O'Donnell (Largo, Fla./Largo) drained a triple. The Mustangs (7-11, 1-4) quickly regained the lead on their next possession when Bamba Fall scored in the paint with 23 seconds to go.
The Knights struggled on the ensuing possession as SMU's Derrick Roberts tipped away a pass from senior guard Chip Cartwright (Houston, Texas/Phillis Wheatley), leaving just two-tenths of a second remaining and the ball out of bounds for the visitors. Senior guard Mike Battle (Waldorf, Md./Southern Maryland Christian) threw a lob to Taylor at the basket, but his tip-in was long as the final buzzer sounded.
UCF led 38-28 at halftime, but the hosts rallied behind a career-high 28 points and seven treys from Jon Killen. Killen hit five 3-pointers after intermission and sparked a 22-7 run for the Mustangs at the start of the second half.
"We didn't have the pop to us defensively. We just didn't have the demeanor and competitiveness enough times," said UCF head coach Kirk Speraw. "We executed well at times down the stretch, but at times we missed guys who were open."
In overtime, the hosts raced out to a five-point advantage behind a triple from Roberts and two free throws from Killen. Senior guard Dave Noel (Boynton Beach, Fla./Boynton Beach) got the Knights within three with a basket at the 1:43 mark and O'Donnell tied the game with a 3-pointer on the team's next possession.
After a pair of foul shots by Roberts with 30 seconds remaining in regulation, O'Donnell found Taylor open in the corner for an open triple that tied the contest at 62. SMU's Mike Walker could have won the game, but his 3-point attempt rattled out with two seconds on the clock.
Taylor hit five 3-pointers for UCF and Noel chipped in with 12 points. Starting for the second time in his career, sophomore forward Tony Davis (Sarasota, Fla./Riverview) had a double-double with 10 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
SMU led by six points early in the first period, but a layup by Taylor at the 8:21 mark sparked a 26-12 UCF run to conclude the half. Taylor had nine points during the spurt, which he capped by grabbing an offensive rebound and scoring inside as time expired in the period.
The Mustangs shot 45.1 percent for the contest, compared to 36.5 for UCF. Fall had 11 points, eight boards and three blocks in the winning effort.
UCF begins a three-game homestand on Wednesday, hosting UAB. Tip-off at the new UCF Arena is scheduled for 7 p.m. 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 pictures.