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By Pat Salvas
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Senior Chelsie Wiley (Riviera Beach, Fla.) scored 16 of her season-high 24 points in the second half to lead the UCF women's basketball team to a 79-69 victory Wednesday night at the UCF Arena over Tennessee Tech. The Knights (6-6) never trailed in the game and held off a second-half run by the Golden Eagles (8-3) for the 10-point win.
Wiley led all players in the game with the 24 points on 7-13 shooting from the field. She matched her season-best mark from the free-throw line, connecting on 8-of-9 from the stripe.
UCF got off to a quick start, opening with an early 12-3 lead thanks in large part to the play of senior forward D'Nay Daniels (Atlanta, Ga.). Daniels scored her team's first six points to put her team out in front early, giving the Knights a lead that they would never relinquish the rest of the game.
For the first time in her career, senior guard Jelisa Caldwell (Macon, Ga.) scored in double digits for the third-straight game. Caldwell, the current Conference USA Player of the Week, finished with 15 points on 6-for-16 shooting from the floor, following games of 30 and 21 points, respectively.
Junior Aisha Patrick (Rockledge, Fla.) set a new UCF season record with nine assists in the game. To go along with her game-high nine assists, Patrick added team highs of eight rebounds and three steals in the win.
Leading by 13 halftime, the Knights built the margin to 15 points in the opening minutes of the second half. Tennessee Tech answered with a 14-2 run to pull to within three, 45-42, with 14:52 remaining. But a Wiley three-pointer from the wing ended the run and the Golden Eagles' comeback hopes as UCF pulled away down the stretch.
For the game, the Knights outrebounded Tennessee Tech, 38-34. Both teams shot well in the game, but UCF edged its opponent, 47.5 percent (28-59) to 44.1 percent (26-59), from the field.
The Knights are now 4-1 at home this season and will look to continue their winning ways at the UCF Arena when they host Valdosta State on Sunday, Jan. 2 at 2 p.m. in the team's next game.