Feb. 10, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - The UCF women's basketball team recently completed a season-long four-game homestand with an unblemished record and now stands at 6-0 at UCF Arena in Conference USA play. Their play on their home floor is a major reason why the Knights stand at 8-2 in C-USA play and in sole possession of second place as they embark on a four-game road trip beginning Friday.
The Knights have been dominant in front of their home crowd, averaging 75 points while winning the league games by over 10 points per game. UCF has shown it enjoys shooting on the familiar baskets, hitting 42 percent (29-69) of its three-pointers and 76.6 percent (85-111) of its free throws.
Four UCF players are averaging in double figures in the home games, with sophomore Chelsie Wiley (Riviera Beach, Fla.) leading the way by hitting 50.6 percent of her shots overall, including 19-fof-38 from long range. She is averaging 19 points per clip in the six home C-USA games. Reigning PBC Player of the Week Emma Cannon (Rochester, N.Y.) has been in double figures in each of the home games and is averaging 15.5 points and 12.5 rebounds.
The starting backcourt of freshman Aisha Patrick (Rockledge, Fla.) and sophomore Angelica Mealing (Decatur, Ga.) is averaging 22 points between them at home in league play and has combined for 53 assists and just 28 turnovers. Patrick is averaging 11.7 points per game while Mealing has knocked down 20-for-22 from the free-throw line.
Head coach Joi Williams' team looks to take care of business on the road and put itself in a position to be vying for a C-USA regular-season championship when it returns home for games against Memphis on Thursday, Feb. 26 and the season-finale against UAB on Sunday, March 1.
CANNON ON FIRE
Cannon was named the C-USA Player of the Week on Monday for the second time in 2008-09. She took the award after averaging 14.5 points and 14.5 rebounds in two league games last week, including 20-rebound performance against SMU. Her 16 defensive rebounds tied the C-USA record for defensive rebounds in a game. Cannon is the only C-USA player to grab 20 rebounds this season, and, having posted 34 points and 20 rebounds at Memphis on Jan. 8, she has now done so twice. Averaging 10.7, Cannon is now first in C-USA in rebounds per game.
UCF P-O-Wer
With Cannon's second player of the week award, UCF has now had a player claim the distinction a league-high four times this season. Prior to the 2008-09 campaign, the program had not won the honor a single time since joining C-USA in 2005-06. Cannon and Wiley have both won player of the week twice, and only Houston's Courtney Taylor has also won the award twice.
FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
With its 78-68 victory over SMU on Saturday, UCF defeated the Mustangs for the first time in five all-time meetings. SMU, along with Southern Miss and East Carolina, became the third league opponent that UCF has defeated this season for the first time.
STREAKING
UCF's six-game home winning streak is the longest in the program since the 2004-05 team won nine-straight on its home court. The Knights' current four-game winning streak overall is the longest for the program since December of 2006, and the four league wins in a row is the most since joining C-USA play.
ON TAP
UCF's four-game road trip begins in Huntington, W.Va. with a game at Marshall at 7 p.m. on Friday. The Knights will then travel to Greenville, N.C., to face East Carolina on Sunday at 3 p.m.
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.