Nov. 30, 2008
CANCUN, Mexico (UCFAthletics.com) - Redshirt freshman Chris Baez (Kissimmee, Fla.) has played inside of all types of gyms. During his prep school days, he competed in tiny venues with little room for spectators. As a Knight, Baez has visited huge arenas like the 18,000-seat Pit in New Mexico.
Despite playing competitively for years around the United States, Baez has never had a game in a facility like the Moon Palace Resort, where the Knights are participating in the Cancun Challenge. For the tournament, event organizers Triple Crown Sports placed a court in large ballroom at the hotel. They added bleachers with room for about 400 fans.
"I've never played in a ballroom like this. It is real weird actually," Baez said. "The rims are real hard. The court is good, but the rims are too hard."
The temporary nature of the court in the ballroom was clearly evident Saturday. UCF's game was delayed for around five minutes as tournament officials fixed a faulty net. In the evening, New Mexico's game against VCU was delayed after a dunk by a Lobo dislodged the basket.
UCF played inside the ballroom for the first time yesterday when the Knights posted a 66-64 win over South Dakota State. On Sunday, the Knights will meet Morehead State at 6 p.m. Eastern.
The Knights got their first chance to shoot inside the ballroom Saturday morning during the team's pregame shootaround.
Another benefit of the ballroom is its proximity to the hotel rooms. Typically, the Knights board a bus wearing sweatshirts and sweatpants and are driven to their game. At the Moon Palace Resort, team members simply walk from their hotel rooms to the ballroom.
"It is real cool. You don't have to leave to do anything. Everything is here, right in the hotel," Baez said.
UCF-Morehead State will be televised nationally on CBS College Sports. In Orlando, Bright House Sports Network will carry the contest live.
The game will be broadcast on the UCF-ISP Sports Network and 740 AM in Orlando. Pregame coverage is set to begin at 5:30 p.m. and free audio of the game will be available on UCFAthletics.com.
UCF's next home contest is set for Dec. 6 against cross-state foe USF at the UCF Arena. Season tickets, which begin at just $99, are still available. To order your season tickets, 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: On Saturday morning, head coach Kirk Speraw spoke with CBS College Sports about the squad's time in Cancun. The interview should air during Sunday's broadcast... After shootaround Saturday, the Knights headed to the beach to pose for some team photos... Following the contest with South Dakota State, the Knights enjoyed a meal, had a film session and then watched most of the New Mexico-VCU game.