Dec. 15, 2010
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By Pat Salvas
UCFAthletics.com
TALLAHASSE, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - A slow start proved to be too much to overcome for the UCF women's basketball team as it fell to No. 16 Florida State, 69-51, Wednesday at the Donald L. Tucker Center. Scoring on the first shot of the game, FSU took control early and did not relinquish it, never trailing in the game.
Senior D'Nay Daniels (Atlanta, Ga.) had a game-high 17 points and was two rebounds shy of her second double-double of the season, finishing with a team-high eight boards in the game. But no other UCF player reached double figures in scoring as the Knights (4-5) dropped its second consecutive game.
The Knights' first half started slow and didn't pick up until the final minutes with the Seminoles (9-1) already holding a 22-point lead, 31-9. The 22.6 percent (7-31) shooting from the field in the opening half was a season low for UCF.
Picking up two quick fouls in the opening minutes, Daniels scored six points in the final two and a half minutes of the half as the Knights headed into the intermission down 37-19.
An improved UCF team came out of the locker room to start the second half, scoring nine quick points to open the period.
Despite playing basket-for-basket in the second half, UCF was never able to maintain sustained pressure in the game, eventually falling to FSU, 69-51.
In the final 20 minutes, the Knights picked up their shooting, connecting on 40 percent (12-30) of their shots from the floor.
The Seminoles continue to dominate opponents on the glass, outrebounding the Knights, 49-41. FSU has now outrebounded all 10 opponents this season.
Junior Aisha Patrick (Rockledge, Fla.) picked up her play in the second half, scoring all nine of her points in the final frame. Freshman Erika Jones (Phenix City, Ala.) was better in the second half in the post, scoring four points and drawing two fouls on two separate UCF possessions late in the game. Jones and Patrick both finished with six rebounds in the contest.
Cierra Brevard led the Seminoles with 14 points, while pulling down 10 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season. Alexa Deluzio added 11 points for FSU in the win.
The Knights will return to action on Dec. 20 when they host Jacksonville at the UCF Arena at 7 p.m. Tickets are available by calling (407) UCF-1000 or by visiting UCFathletics.com.