Jan. 4, 2008
Orlando, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - The UCF women's basketball team will open league play Saturday when they take on Conference USA foe Southern Miss at the new UCF Arena. Tip-off for the contest is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Off to its best start since the 2004-05 season with a 7-6 record, UCF needs only one more win to tie its win total from last season's 8-22 record and has already tied its seven wins from 2005-06.
In their last outing the Knights used a 42-point second half and 14 points from both Marshay White (Rochester, N.Y.) and Chelsie Wiley (Riviera Beach, Fla.) to secure a 65-43 victory over Stetson (2-10) Monday afternoon at the Edmunds Center.
UCF's Tia Lewis (Poulan, Ga.) and Emma Cannon (Rochester, N.Y.) are two of only three players in Conference USA averaging double-doubles for their squad. Lewis is averaging 13.5 points and 11.8 rebounds per game and has racked up eight double-doubles on the season. Cannon is putting up 11.3 points per game and grabbing 10.1 rebounds per game and has seven double-doubles as a freshman. Southern Miss' Pauline Love is also averaging a double-double with 16.7 points and 10.6 rebounds per contest and is the only player in the league to have more double-doubles on the year than Lewis with nine.
The Golden Eagles travel to Orlando with a 9-4 record after opening the season with a six-game winning streak from Nov. 9-Nov. 21. Three straight losses to Mississippi State, Jacksonville State and South Alabama knocked Southern Miss off course, but it bounced back and has won three of its last four games.
Saturday's contest marks the 10th between the two teams, with the Knights (7-6) yet to pull off a victory. Southern Miss holds a 9-0 advantage over the home team dating back to their first meeting in 1989.
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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