Sept. 4, 2008
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - As the best player on the best UCF team during the program's Division II era, Jerry Prather averaged 21.3 points as a senior in 1977-78. Although Prather is frequently remembered for guiding the Knights to the D-II Final Four that season, he posted one of the most productive careers in school history.
The 6-foot-3 Prather ranks third all-time at UCF in scoring with 1,778 points and is second with 849 rebounds. He is one of just three Knights who finished their career with more than 1,500 points and 500 boards. In 1999, Prather was inducted into the UCF Athletics Hall of Fame.
With All-America guard Bo Clark out with an injury in 1977-78, Prather was the catalyst to UCF's run to the D-II semifinals. In addition to scoring over 21 points per game, he averaged 8.2 boards. The team went 26-4 overall that season and entered the Final Four with a 24-game winning streak. During the regular season, the squad's only losses came to a pair of Division I foes on the road.
After totaling 50 points in two contests at the Final Four - including a game-high 27 versus Eastern Illinois - Prather earned a spot on the all-tournament team. That year, he also garnered National Association of Basketball Coaches All-America honors.
During his time at UCF, the Mississippi native played under head coach Torchy Clark. As a junior, he averaged 18.6 points. Prather was named to the All-Sunshine State Conference First Team twice.
Season tickets for the 2008-09 campaign are currently available. The Knights are slated to play 16 contests, including eight Conference USA games, at the new UCF Arena. The team will open the year on Nov. 16, hosting North Carolina A&T. For more information, contact the UCF ticket sales office at (407) UCF-1000.
For the latest news on the Knights, log on to UCFAthletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. The site, which also contains ticket and Golden Knights Club donor information, is also the home of UCF's new online apparel store. Also visit UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.
The 2008-09 campaign will mark the UCF men's basketball program's 40th season. To commemorate the anniversary, UCF is unveiling the top-40 players in school history. Members of the UCF athletics communications office worked with UCF basketball historian Bill Beekman to select the best players who finished their collegiate careers as Knights. One player from the list will be recognized each Thursday at UCFAthletics.com.