Feb. 5, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - After transferring to UCF from Western Kentucky, Patrick Butts was forced to sit out the 1992-93 campaign due to NCAA rules. The Knights won just 10 games that year. Butts, who spent two seasons at UCF, made sure that the following campaign was filled with success for the Knights.
Under first-year head coach Kirk Speraw, the 6-foot-1 point guard helped UCF go 21-9, claim the Atlantic Sun Championship title and participate in the NCAA Tournament for the first time at the Division I level. He played in 28 games, making 20 starts. A native of Milledgeville, Ga., he scored in double-figures 18 times and averaged 10.4 points.
Butts dished out 2.8 assists per game and also averaged 2.1 rebounds. At the A-Sun Championship, he averaged 12.6 points.
As a senior in 1994-95, Butts averaged 14.4 points on a team that included scoring machine Ochiel Swaby and future UCF Athletics Hall of Fame member Darryl Davis. He paced the team in assists per game (3.7) and also totaled 36 steals in 27 contests. Butts led the squad in scoring on six occasions as a senior.
Speraw's 2008-09 squad is set to return to action Saturday at East Carolina. The team's next home game is slated for Feb. 14 against Tulsa at 7 p.m. at the UCF Arena.
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 marks 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.