Oct. 26, 2008
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Two weeks ago, Conference USA's coaches named senior guard Jermaine Taylor (Tavares, Fla.) to the league's five-player preseason squad. A pair of college basketball preview publications have also recognized Taylor.
Both USA Today and Lindy's have selected Taylor to their preseason all-conference second teams.
Taylor recorded one of the best individual campaigns in school history a year ago. He averaged 20.8 points. Taylor enters the 2008-09 season as the 10th-leading returning scorer in the country.
As a junior, he established a UCF Division I single-season record with 646 points. In league play, he averaged 21.4 points. Taylor led the Knights in scoring in 24 of 31 games. Following the regular season, he earned a spot on the All-C-USA Second Team.
Taylor was joined on the coaches' all-conference preseason team by Memphis forward Robert Dozier, Tulsa center Jerome Jordan, UAB guard/forward Robert Vaden and UTEP guard Stefon Jackson. C-USA's coaches selected the squad. Vaden was named the C-USA Preseason Player of the Year.
Taylor enters the year 13th all-time at UCF with 1,167 points. In 2007-08, he averaged more points than any player in the state of Florida. Taylor also ranked second on the Knights in rebounds per game (4.7). He connected on 73 3-point field goals and averaged 2.6 triples per contest, the fourth-best mark in the league.
The Knights will open the regular season on Nov. 16, hosting North Carolina A&T at the new UCF Arena. The squad is slated to play 16 home contests, including eight C-USA tilts. UCF will begin their conference schedule on Jan. 10 with a home game against national power Memphis.
Season tickets are currently available. To order your season tickets today, and to learn more about the Fastbreak Club and other premium seating opportunities, 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.
Notes: Fans can get an early look at Taylor and his teammates on Nov. 8 during the inaugural UCF Postgame Madness. The free event is slated for the new UCF Arena and will being following the conclusion of the Knights' football game with Southern Miss. Festivities include a select-a-seat event and an inter-squad scrimmage. The evening will be filled with free giveaways, including t-shirts and pizza.