Nov. 29, 2010
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By Pat Salvas
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - The UCF women's basketball team will head back out on the road for the first of two non-conference games this week with a Tuesday night tilt at Savannah State at 7 p.m. The Knights enter the game with the Tigers after winning both their games at the UCF Thanksgiving Classic this past weekend.
A double-double from senior D'Nay Daniels (Atlanta, Ga.) and 20 points from junior Aisha Patrick (Rockledge, Fla.) lifted UCF to its second win in as many days as the Knights defeated Western Kentucky, 66-55, Saturday at the UCF Arena. The win followed a 26-point victory over a 4-1 Richmond team on Friday afternoon in the first contest of the weekend.
UCF has yet to win a true road game this season, as its only win away from Orlando came on a neutral court against Iona at the JMU Convocation Center in the Consolation Round of the Preseason WNIT.
Tuesday's game marks the first-ever meeting between the two programs. Savannah State comes into the game with a 2-3 record this season. The Tigers are averaging 52.6 points per game this season, but that figure benefits from a season-opening 86-42 win over NAIA opponent Edward Waters College. Since that game, the team has failed to score 55 points in a game and has not reached 50 in each of its last three contests.
Following Tuesday's game, UCF will be back on the road Sunday at FIU. The Knights and Panthers are set to tip-off at 4:30 p.m.
Season and single-game tickets for the 2010-11 women's basketball team are on sale now. Season tickets start at just $39. Fans can purchase tickets online or by calling (407) UCF-1000.
Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2010 - 7 p.m.
UCF Knights (3-2)
at Savannah State Tigers (2-3)
Tiger Arena - Savannah, Ga.
Tuesday's Tilt
The Knights look to build on consecutive wins when they play Tuesday at Savannah State. The Knights defeated Richmond and Western Kentucky in the UCF Thanksgiving Classic on Friday and Saturday to open the home schedule. The game marks the first of two non-conference road games this week, with a trip to FIU on Sunday.
Double D'Nay
The first UCF double-double of the season came from D'Nay Daniels on Saturday. The senior forward scored a season-high 17 points, while matching her season-high of 10 boards.
Almost There
Despite averaging a double-double this season, Aisha Patrick continues to finish games just short of the feat. Scoring a season-high 20 points against WKU on Saturday, Patrick again just missed reaching the double-double plateau as she pulled down nine rebounds in the game. The nine boards marked the first time in the last four games that Patrick failed to reach 12 rebounds in a contest.
Welcome Home
After starting the season with three road games, the Knights returned home to two victories at the UCF Arena. The two wins to open the home slate were the first since defeating Monmouth and Eastern Illinois in the UCF Golden Knights Classic to start the 2002-03 season.
Control the Ball
UCF committed a season-low nine turnovers Saturday against the Lady Toppers. The last time the Knights committed fewer than 10 turnovers in a game was on Dec. 12, 2009 at Florida Atlantic, turning the ball over just eight times against the Owls.
In Every Game
Senior Chelsie Wiley (Riviera Beach, Fla.) averaged 18 points in the two wins over the weekend. Wiley scored a team season-high 22 points against the Spiders on Friday before dropping 14 on the Lady Toppers Saturday afternoon. She is the only UCF player to reach double-figures in scoring in each game this season.
Defense Wins
Richmond entered the weekend as one of the top scoring teams in the country, averaging 80.6 points per game, and sporting a 4-1 overall mark. The Knights' defense stifled the Spiders' offense and held them to a then season low of 53 points. Richmond sputtered again Saturday, reeling from its 26-point loss to the Knights the day before to score 52 points in a 24-point loss to Michigan State. The 32.8 percent shooting from the field against UCF was by far their lowest figure of the season.
Endurance Game
Wiley played all 40 minutes for the tenth time in her career on Saturday against WKU. She joins Patrick as the only two players this season to play 40 or more minutes in a contest.
Never Look Back
Against both opponents at the UCF Thanksgiving Classic, the Knights never trailed in either game. Against WKU, the Lady Toppers tied the game four different times, but never held the lead at any point. Against Richmond, the Knights took the early lead and never allowed the Spiders to equal them once on the scoreboard.
First for a First
The matchup with the Tigers on Tuesday will mark the first first-time opponent for the Knights this season. The only other opponent on the schedule that UCF has never met before in program history is Tennessee Tech, which is scheduled to play at the UCF Arena on Dec. 29.