Feb. 12, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - After a perfect homestand was completed at 4-0, UCF hits the road again to embark on a four-game road trip. The first test of the trip is at Marshall at 7 p.m. on Friday night. UCF defeated Marshall 75-67 on Jan. 31 in Orlando. UCF is 2-2 away from home in league play, but will try to defeat the Thundering Herd to end a small two-game road slide after losses at Southern Miss and Houston.
Knights' fans can listen to a live audio internet broadcast beginning at approximately 6:40 p.m. The voice of the team, Scott Adams, will be on the call, and the broadcast can be accessed free of charge through Stretch Audio Internet at http://ucfathletics.cstv.com/multimedia/ucf-wbb-stretch-sched.html.
The teams enter having had different results of late. UCF is in sole possession of second place in C-USA after four-straight wins while Marshall is looking to end a four-game losing streak. Despite the recent struggles, the Herd has had success at home, where they have an 8-4 record.
In the teams' first meeting, the Knights never trailed and led by as many as 12 in the second half. Marshall used a run to tie the game midway through the second half before UCF put the win away late. Sophomore Chelsie Wiley (Riviera Beach, Fla.) led UCF with 30 points and hit seven threes, but it was still a balanced attack as four Knights hit double figures. Point guard Angelica Mealing (Decatur, Ga.) contributed 13 points and nine assists in the win. Marshall was led by Alyssa Hammond's 25 points.
Wiley averaged 21.3 points per game during the Knights' recent homestand while fellow sophomore Emma Cannon (Rochester, N.Y.), the reigning C-USA Player of the Week, averaged 15 points and 12.3 rebounds.
KNIGHTS NOTES
? INSIDE THE SERIES: Marshall leads the all-time series with UCF 6-2 and has won two of the three games played in Huntington. The Herd won last year's game in Huntington 71-64, and UCF's lone win on the road in the series was 66-63 in 2006.
? RECORD AND COUNTING: With its win over Marshall last Saturday, UCF notched its sixth C-USA win of the season, the most victories in league play since the program joined the conference in 2005-06. The Knights have added to the record with their wins over Tulsa and SMU.
? HOME SWEET HOME: The Knights are now a perfect 6-0 at UCF Arena in Conference USA play. The six-straight home victories mark the longest winning streak in the team's new home and the longest home streak for the program since the 2003-04 team won 10 in a row. During the streak, UCF is outscoring opponents by over 10 points a game and has a turnover margin of plus-5.5.
? 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 a 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 has now done so twice.
? AMONG THE NATION'S BEST: Cannon is now 11th in the country in rebounds and is 10th in offensive rebounds per game. Wiley is currently fourth in the country in three-point percentage, hitting 48 percent from long range.
? 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.
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.