Jan. 23, 2010
By Andrew Gavin
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - After snapping a five-game skid and gaining some confidence in a 70-60 win over Southern Miss on Thursday, the UCF women's basketball team will look to carry that momentum on the road for a Conference USA contest at UTEP Sunday at 4:05 p.m.. The Knights will be vying for their first win in three games at the Don Haskins Center in El Paso.
The game will feature a matchup between the two-time defending C-USA Player of the Year in UTEP's Jareica Hughes and the 2009 C-USA Preseason Player of the Year, UCF's Emma Cannon (Rochester, N.Y.). However, nearly a foot in height separates the UTEP point guard and UCF forward, so the two will rarely actually matchup.
Cannon and fellow junior Chelsie Wiley (Riviera Beach, Fla.) each scored 17 points for the Knights on Thursday as UCF earned a much-needed win. Led by Cannon's 7-for-8 performance and eight boards, UCF hit 47.6 percent of its shots and outrebounded Southern Miss 40-33. Cannon leads the team at 13.1 points and 10.2 rebounds per game.
UTEP has not played since last Sunday when the Miners posted a 59-51 victory at Tulsa. Sophomore Deitra Caldwell, who scored 19 points against UCF a season ago, led UTEP with 13 points.
The game can once again be heard live on WAMT 1190 AM. With Scott Adams and Andrew Gavin on the call, coverage can be heard beginning at 3:45 p.m. Those fans not in the Central Florida area or without radio access can listen live via the internet by clicking here or on UCFAthletics.com.
? THE SERIES: UTEP holds a 1-4 overall record against UCF in five meetings. The Miners have won both of the games played in El Paso, including a 61-49 victory a season ago. In that contest, UCF shot just 17.5 percent from the floor and watched as UTEP hit 7-of-13 three-pointers. Hughes and Caldwell combined to score 39 points for the Miners. Cannon led UCF with 15 points and 17 rebounds.
? IN THE TOP 10 AND ON THE MOVE: The most recent and 12th all-time member, Cannon joined the 1,000-point club against Notre Dame on Dec. 29. Now with 1,071 points, she has since passed Marcie Swiley, Ali Roberts, Celeste Hudson and Takira Allen to move into eighth place all-time. She is also just four points from passing Francine Houston (1,064) and moving into seventh place. She is on pace to end the season in fifth place all-time. The top four players on the scoring list are: Tamika Coley (2,006), Susan Patz (1,587), Chariya Davis (1,517) and Yolanda Rhodes (1,322).
? FASTER THAN THE REST: Cannon became the fifth active player in Conference USA to reach the 1,000-point plateau, joining UTEP's Jareica Hughes (1,411), Pauline Love of Southern Miss (1,319), Tulsa's Larissa Williams (1,274) and SMU's Britney Gilliam (1,222). More recently, SMU's Jillian Samuels (1,005) joined the list. However, Cannon (1,044) is the league's only junior in the elite group.
? ANOTHER MILESTONE: While the 1,000-point club is impressive, Cannon's rebounding numbers are even more staggering. With three rebounds, Cannon will become just the second player in UCF history with 800 rebounds.
? LENDING A HAND: Despite playing primarily at both guard positions, sophomore Aisha Patrick (Rockledge, Fla.) has been a big help to Cannon on the glass this season, especially in conference play. In the Knights' five league games, Patrick has averaged 7.2 rebounds per game, including nine against Southern Miss Thursday.
? BACK TO THE POINT: After beginning the season as the starting point guard, Angelica Mealing (Decatur, Ga.) was relegated to the bench after four games. With the offense struggling, Mealing was reinserted for UCF's last two games and has played well. In the past three games, the southpaw has averaged 5.3 assists per game and has a 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Season and single-game tickets are currently available with the UCF Ticket Office. Knight fans can purchase season tickets for each of the team's 14 home games for just $39. For more information on purchasing tickets, contact the UCF ticket office at (407) 823-1000.
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.