Nov. 30, 2008
CANCUN, Mexico (UCFAthletics.com) - Senior guard Jermaine Taylor (Tavares, Fla.) recorded a double-double with 22 points and 10 boards, but the UCF men's basketball team could not complete a late rally and fell 71-65 to Morehead State Sunday at the Cancun Challenge. The Knights (3-3), who trailed by 14 points with 5:39 to play, got within two with 41 seconds to play, but Morehead State made four free throws to hang on for the win.
Sophomore guard Taylor Young (Orlando, Fla.) made one of two free throws to cut the UCF deficit to 65-63. After Cecil Brown then made a pair of foul shots with 37 seconds remaining, Taylor missed a triple on the Knights' next possession.
The Eagles improved to 1-6 with the win at the Moon Palace Resort.
UCF's full-court press helped the team get back into the game. Two Young foul shots at the 2:39 mark sparked a 9-2 run for the Knights, who forced three turnovers in the backcourt during the final two minutes of the contest.
Morehead State shot 45.3 percent overall for the game, compared to 30.8 percent for the Knights. UCF made only 6-of-28 (21.4 percent) of its attempts from 3-point range.
Triples from Maze Stallworth and John Lamb helped the Eagles build their advantage to 60-46 with under six minutes to play.
Stallworth made 5-of-11 shots from deep and paced Morehead State with 17 points.
Taylor was one of two Knights to record a double-double as junior forward Tony Davis (Sarasota, Fla.) scored 12 points and grabbed 11 boards.
The Eagles led 34-26 at halftime after UCF shot just 32 percent from the floor and 16 percent from deep in the first 20 minutes. Taylor scored nine points before intermission.
UCF went 2-1 in three games at the Cancun Challenge. The squad defeated South Dakota State, 66-64, Saturday. On Nov. 22, the squad began the event by posting a 72-71 victory at New Mexico. The win snapped a 33-game home non-conference winning streak for the Lobos.
The Knights finished Sunday's contest with a 40-35 edge on the glass. Nineteen of the team's boards came on the offensive end.
For the second-consecutive game, Young scored 10 points.
Kenneth Faired recorded five of Morehead State's eight blocks and also added 12 points. Leon Buchanan and Demonte Harper each scored 16 points for the Eagles.
After five-consecutive games away from Orlando, the Knights will return to the UCF Arena on Saturday, Dec. 6, hosting cross-state foe USF. Season tickets, which start at just $99, are still available by calling the UCF ticket 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.