March 22, 2010
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Speaking to the balance of the 2009-10 edition of the UCF women's basketball team, listing the top-10 individual performances from the past season was a difficult task. The list in 2008-09 probably would have featured five games each from all-conference performers Chelsie Wiley (Riviera Beach, Fla.) and Emma Cannon (Rochester, N.Y.). This season, with six players averaging between 6.6 and 11.6 points per game, many more players earned spots on the list.
Cannon and Wiley, who both surpassed the 1,000-point plateau this season, still earned spots with great games, but they were joined by many of their fellow Knights.
Below is a list of the team's top individual performances from 2009-10:
10. Aisha Patrick vs. Marshall (3/8/10, C-USA Tournament) It is not easy to earn a spot on a list like this without scoring in double figures, but there are also not a lot of players that affect games in a variety of ways like sophomore Aisha Patrick. In UCF's overtime win over Marshall in the first round of the C-USA Tournament, Patrick scored just eight points. However, the guard played all 45 minutes, grabbed 10 rebounds and totaling five assists. She also held Marshall's Chantelle Handy to just two points, well below her season average.
9. Ashia Kelly at Southern Miss (3/3/10) Kelly was inserted into the starting lineup halfway through the season and while consistently contributing on the defensive end of the floor, she was not providing much offense. In the regular season finale, Kelly showed a new-found aggression offensively, scoring a career-high 16 points as the Knights ended the Eagles' five-game home winning streak.
8. D'Nay Daniels at Memphis (2/14/10) Playing a season-high 38 minutes, Daniels played a tremendous game on the home court of one of the league's best teams. Scoring in a variety of ways, Daniels scored a career-high 25 points and made 9-of-14 shots and hit 7-of-8 free throws to lead the Knights.
7. Chelsie Wiley at UTEP (1/24/10) With her undermanned team playing on the road without Cannon, Wiley did everything she could to keep UCF in the game against UTEP. Adding to what is a long list of great games in her career, Wiley knocked down 7-of-10 three-pointers and scored 29 points, the most by a Knight player during the entire season.
6. Emma Cannon at Jacksonville (12/2/09) In helping UCF to its first road win of the season, Cannon did what she does best. She hit the offensive glass seven times and posted yet another double-double, totaling 23 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Knights to a win.
5. Marshay White vs. Bethune-Cookman (11/20/09) White made the most of her 21 minutes of playing time in a blowout win by the Knights, scoring 23 points in just 21 minutes against Bethune-Cookman. Adding to her scoring, White showed a triple-double threat with seven rebounds and six assists in the victory.
4. Aisha Patrick at Jacksonville (12/2/09) Typical of her consistent all-around play, Patrick filled the stat sheet in the win against the Dolphins. The sophomore had a career-high 21 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals in the UCF victory. Patrick had six of the team's offensive rebounds, hit 7-of-10 shots from the field and did not miss a free throw in helping head coach Joi Williams win in a return to her hometown.
3. Emma Cannon vs. Alabama (12/14/09) Continuing her trend of playing well against big-name opponents, Cannon exploded for 23 points and 13 rebounds against the Crimson Tide. The UCF forward played 37 minutes in the game and hit 9-of-17 shots during the contest. She added two block and two steals.
2. Marshay White at UAB (2/12/10) Matching C-USA Sixth Player of the Year Jala Harris shot for shot, White came off the bench to lead UCF to a road victory with a career-high 26 points. White hit 9-of-14 shots from the field, including 3-for-5 from long range, in 29 minutes of play. During the decisive 13-4 run that put the game away for the Knights, White poured in 11 of her 16 second-half points.
1. Chelsie Wiley vs. Houston (2/20/10) In what was a historic night individually for Wiley, the junior guard also made sure it was also a good night for her team, scoring 21 points and grabbing six rebounds to lead the Knights to a 78-66 win over Houston. Including an 8-for-8 performance from the free-throw line, Wiley also became the 13th member of the school's 1,000-point club during the first half of the contest.
For the latest news on the Knights, log on to www.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 www.UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.