Dec. 6, 2008
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - The UCF women's basketball team returns to action Sunday, traveling to Fort Myers, Fla., for a game against Florida Gulf Coast at 1 p.m. The Knights will be playing their fifth game of six consecutive away from UCF Arena.
Knights' fans looking to follow the action can listen to a live audio internet broadcast beginning at approximately 12:40 p.m. The audio broadcast, through Stretch Audio Internet, can be accessed free of charge at http://ucfathletics.cstv.com/multimedia/ucf-wbb-stretch-sched.html.
Head coach Joi Williams' squad will look to end a five-game slide that includes consecutive losses against schools from the Big 12, Big Ten, Big East and SEC. In its last game, UCF had a second-half lead at Alabama before the Crimson Tide put the game away late with a 12-0 run. Freshman Aisha Patrick had 10 points, nine rebounds, four assists and four steals in the loss.
Sophomore Emma Cannon battled foul trouble and was limited to just 18 minutes against Alabama, but she continues to lead UCF in both scoring (13.3) and rebounding (9.9).
Florida Gulf Coast played another Orlando area team in its last outing, losing its Atlantic Sun opener at Stetson 77-68. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for Florida Gulf Coast. Adrianne McNally scored 18 points in the loss for the Eagles, and she leads the squad in scoring at 15.2 points per clip.
The game marks the third of five games UCF will play against schools from the Sunshine State in 2008-09. The Knights play at Jacksonville on Dec. 15 and at Florida State on Dec. 31.
KNIGHTS NOTES
? LAST TIME OUT: UCF is looking to break a five-game losing skid. In its last outing, UCF fell at Alabama 67-53. The Knights were led by Chelsie Wiley's 11 points.
? THE SERIES: Florida Gulf Coast, playing its second season of Division I basketball, leads the series 1-0. Last season, the Eagles defeated UCF 81-75 on Dec. 9, 2007, in Orlando.
? UCF VS. THE SUNSHINE STATE: In the history of the program, UCF has played 353 games against 25 schools from the state of Florida. In those games, the Knights have a 191-164 all-time record. UCF is 1-1 this season against the Sunshine State, defeating Florida A&M and falling to Florida Atlantic.
? FINISHING TOUCH: In each of UCF's last three games and five of the last six, the Knights have held a second-half lead. The Knights held one-point leads against both Wisconsin and Alabama and were leading Villanova by three in the second half.
? LOGGING TIME: Freshman Aisha Patrick is getting acclimated to college basketball in a hurry this season. The Rockledge, Fla., native is one of only three Knights to start all seven games, and she leads the team and is fourth in Conference USA in minutes per game, averaging 34.0. Patrick has played 38 minutes on two occasions and 30 or more in all but one of the Knights' contests.
? STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE: The UCF non-conference schedule includes nine games against foes from the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten and SEC. The Knights play three of the contests at home, three on the road and three at a neutral site.
Season tickets for the UCF women's basketball program are currently on sale through the UCF ticket sales office. For more information about the arena's premium seating options, including club seats, group discounts, courtside tables and suites, contact the UCF ticket sales office at (407) UCF-1000 or visit the women's basketball ticket page at UCFAthletics.cstv.com/tickets/w-baskbl-tickets.html.
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.