Feb. 11, 2011
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By Doug Richards
UCFAthletics.com
Complete Release in PDF Format
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - The UCF men's basketball team will conclude its two-game homestand Saturday against Tulsa at the UCF Arena. Tipoff for the Conference USA contest is set for 7 p.m.
Tickets for the game are available at Ticketmaster.com or UCFAthletics.com. UCF students are admitted free with a valid school ID. On Saturday, the UCF Arena ticket office will be open prior to the game.
With Valentine's Day quickly approaching, the contest will serve as "Guys Night Out." As part of a special promotion, fans can buy two or more tickets for $8 each and get perks including a photo opportunity on the court with UCF's Knightmoves dance team, a Knightmoves calendar and a UCF basketball t-shirt while supplies last. Tickets are available by calling (407) 823-1000 or in person at the UCF Arena box office.
UCF (14-8, 1-8 C-USA) played with great determination in its last contest, but fell 63-62 to visiting Memphis Wednesday when the Tigers' Antonio Barton hit the game-winning 3-pointer with only 2.6 seconds to play. Junior guard Isaac Sosa (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico) connected on 4-of-5 3-pointers and led the Knights with 14 points.
The Golden Hurricane (13-10, 6-3) have won three-straight games. The squad was off Wednesday, but in its most recent contest, defeated Houston, 76-71, in overtime Saturday. Tulsa is led by Justin Hurtt, who is averaging 20.2 points per game.
The game will serve as Youth League Day at the UCF Arena. Youth basketball players from across Central Florida, and their family members, can attend the game for $8 each. Youth League Day participants will have the opportunity to form a fan tunnel on the court where they will be able to welcome the Knights onto the floor, take a group photo on the court and get autographs from team members after the game. For more information or to order Youth League Day tickets, call (407) UCF-1000 or e-mail tickets@athletics.ucf.edu.
Fans in Orlando can listen to UCF-Tulsa on the UCF Sports Network from IMG College and its flagship station, 740 The Game. Marc Daniels will handle the play-by-play, and will be joined by former UCF standout guard Mike O'Donnell. Pregame coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. Live video and statistics will be available at UCFAthletics.com.
Series Record Tulsa, 7-4
Last Meeting Tulsa 55, UCF 50 (Jan. 30, 2010 in Orlando)
? UCF and the Golden Hurricane will meet just once this season, with the matchup coming in Orlando, where the Knights have a 4-1 edge in the all-time series
? UCF and Tulsa have met five times in Orlando, and the average margin of victory has been 4.8 points
? All five of the games have been decided by 10 points or less, including UCF's memorable 97-91 triple overtime victory on Jan. 12, 2008, in the first Conference USA contest in the new UCF Arena
? Tulsa swept the season series a year ago, taking a 55-50 victory on Jan. 30, 2010, at the UCF Arena behind 16 points from Justin Hurtt
? Tulsa shot 50.0 percent overall, compared to 37.3 percent from the field and 0-of-12 from deep for the Knights
? Keith Clanton totaled a game-high 17 points in the losing effort
? In two games against the Golden Hurricane in 2009-10, Clanton averaged 14.0 points
? As the head coach at Marshall, Donnie Jones' squads went 2-5 versus Tulsa
? Both Jones (Pikeville) and Tulsa head coach Doug Wojcik (Wheeling) are West Virginia natives
So Close, But So Far
? Despite not picking up a victory, the Knights have played better of late
? Still, the Knights' have suffered some crushing defeats as their last three losses have come by an average of 3.3 points
? The latest heartbreak came on Wednesday, when UCF led by as many as seven points in the second half against visiting Memphis, but fell 63-62 when Antonio Barton hit the game-winning 3-pointer with 2.6 seconds to play
Full House
? With three home games remaining on its schedule, UCF has already established a school single-season attendance record as 92,930 fans have watched the Knights play 14 contests at the UCF Arena in 2010-11
? The previous single-season mark was set last season when 81,161 spectators attended 15 games
? UCF is averaging 6,638 fans, up from 5,411 a year ago
? Five of the top-10 crowds in program history have been recorded this year, including the third (9,347 vs. Rice on Jan. 22) and fourth (9,094 vs. Marshall on Jan. 5) largest crowds
? UCF is averaging 8,198 fans in Conference USA play
Last Time Out
? UCF fell in heartbreaking fashion Wednesday at the UCF Arena as Memphis' Antonio Barton hit the game-winning 3-pointer with 2.6 seconds to play to give the Tigers a 63-62 victory
? After the basket, UCF's Marcus Jordan's desperation 3-point attempt from near halfcourt was short as the final buzzer sounded
? The Knights grabbed a two-point edge with 39 seconds on the clock on a Jordan layup, but after a Memphis timeout, the Tigers rotated the ball to the right corner, where Barton caught a pass from his brother, Will, and hit the game-winner
? UCF led by as many as seven points in the second half, and went up 47-40 with 12:34 to go when A.J. Tyler made a free throw
? But Memphis used a full-court press that forced several UCF turnovers in the backcourt to stay within striking distance
? Isaac Sosa shot 4-of-5 from deep and led the Knights with 14 points
In-State Support
? Averaging 6,638 fans per contest, the Knights rank third among the 13 Division I programs in Florida in attendance
? Only Florida (9,735) and Florida State (8,840) are averaging more fans than the Knights, who rank ahead of Miami of the ACC (4,929) and USF of the BIG EAST (3,882)
Swat Team
? With six regular-season games remaining on its schedule, UCF has already tied the school single-season blocks record with 143 swats in 22 contests
? UCF's 2004-05 squad also blocked 143 shots
? After totaling just 95 blocks in 32 games last year, the Knights are tied for fifth nationally, averaging 6.5 blocks per outing
? Tom Herzog (48 blocks) leads Conference USA and is 24th in the country with 2.4 blocks per game, and Keith Clanton (45 blocks) is third in the conference and 41st nationally at 2.1
Pass it On
? UCF dished out 16 assists on 22 made field goals against Memphis Wednesday
? The 16 assists were the most for the Knights since they recorded 16 against East Carolina on Jan. 19
? Both P.J. Gaynor and Marcus Jordan led UCF with five assists against the Tigers
70-Something
? Last season, 11 of UCF's opponents scored at least 70 points against the Knights
? This year, only six of the Knights' 22 foes have recorded 70 or more points, with only one eclipsing the 80-point mark
? In 2009-10, six teams scored at least 80 points while facing UCF
? UCF is second in Conference USA in scoring defense, limiting opponents to just 62.3 points an outing
? UCF is first in C-USA in field goal percentage defense at 39.2
A Nice Start
? P.J. Gaynor is averaging 4.8 points and 2.9 boards in 15.6 minutes per game on the year
? But since entering the starting lineup at small forward three games ago, Gaynor has taken his game to another level
? In the three games as a starter, Gaynor averaged 6.7 points and 4.7 rebounds in 30.7 minutes
? Against Memphis Wednesday, he totaled seven points and dished out a career-high five assists
Welcome Back
? After missing seven games in non-conference play due to injury, A.J. Tyler returned to the court on Dec. 29 when UCF hosted Furman
? Tyler, a skilled fifth-year senior who can shoot the ball, was not himself after his return, as he averaged 2.7 points and 1.9 rebounds while shooting 26.5 percent from the floor in his first nine games back
? In UCF's last two games, Tyler played like the forward that UCF fans were accustomed to seeing, as he averaged 9.5 points and 6.0 boards while shooting 57.1 percent against East Carolina and Memphis
? Tyler registered nine points and three boards against Memphis Wednesday
Seventh Heaven
? Keith Clanton, who leads UCF and ranks fifth in Conference USA in rebounds per game at 8.7, has grabbed at least seven boards in 18-consecutive games
? Clanton has six double-digit rebounding performances on the year
? Last Saturday at East Carolina, he recorded nine rebounds
Point Production
? Marcus Jordan has scored in double figures in 20 of UCF's 22 games this season, and has totaled at least 20 points six times
? As a freshman, he had 11 double-digit scoring performances, with one over 20 points
Moving on Up
? Isaac Sosa is quickly moving up the UCF career 3-pointers register
? Sosa is tied for fifth all-time at UCF with 175 treys
? D'Quarius Stewart (1996-00) and Harry Kennedy (1995-97) are also tied for fifth with 175 triples
? Sosa also ranks fourth in UCF history in 3-point field goal percentage (42.9)
Up Next
? UCF will hit the road to face Tulane Wednesday in New Orleans
? The Knights have a 5-2 edge in the all-time series, and have won three-straight against the Green Wave
? Following the contest at Tulane, UCF will return home to Orlando for less than a day before heading to Birmingham for Saturday's game at UAB