Jan. 2, 2010
By Doug Richards
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - When UCF hosted Liberty on Tuesday, 4,641 fans were on hand at the UCF Arena to watch the Knights roll to an 82-58 victory. The crowd was a record for the UCF Holiday Classic, which began in 2004.
The two-day event total of 8,752 was also a tournament record. A year ago, a total of 6,306 spectators attended UCF's tournament games against Penn and Chicago State.
As a result of an exciting young team and some successful marketing efforts, attendance on the rise for the Knights in 2009-10. UCF is averaging 5,034 fans per contest, compared to 4,390 last year. The Knights' attendance currently ranks fourth in the 12-team Conference USA.
In the Sunshine State, UCF is third among the 13 Division I programs. The Knights are right behind nationally-ranked Florida State (5,596), and well ahead of USF (3,950) and Miami (3,886). USF's numbers were bolstered by a season-high 4,627 fans who watched the Knights face the Bulls at the Sun Dome in December. The crowd was packed with UCF supporters.
UCF is on pace to set a single-season attendance record. During the inaugural 2007-08 campaign at the UCF Arena, an average of 4,891 spectators watched the Knights.
The Knights (8-5) will conclude the non-conference portion of their schedule Tuesday at No. 16 Ole Miss. The squad's next home game is Jan. 9, when the team will open C-USA play versus visiting Rice at 5 p.m.
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: Sophomore guard Isaac Sosa (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico) is shooting 48.6 percent from 3-point range. That mark leads C-USA... The contest at Ole Miss will conclude a three-game series with the Rebels. The Knights have already faced one SEC program this season, recording an 84-74 victory over Auburn at the Glenn Wilkes Classic in Daytona Beach in November.