March 3, 2011
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By Doug Richards
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - As his team continues its late season surge, UCF men's basketball head coach Donnie Jones has repeatedly told the Knights that they will be remembered for how they finish this season. Fortunately for the Knights, and their growing fanbase, they are finishing strong.
Wednesday evening's thrilling come-from-behind win over SMU at the UCF Arena gave the Knights (19-9, 6-9 Conference USA) their fifth victory in six games, and their third-consecutive win overall. UCF started the season in incredible fashion with 14-straight victories, and then had some natural growing pains during Jones' first campaign in Orlando at the start of conference play. Now, UCF is closing the campaign with a strong kick, putting the Knights in contention for a berth in the postseason.
UCF will have a shot at securing only the fifth 20-win season since the program moved to the Division I ranks in 1984 on Saturday when the team plays host Marshall in its regular-season finale. UCF has an impressive strength of schedule and a Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) of 53 out of over 330 teams in the country. The RPI is a formula used by the NCAA and other groups to select teams for the postseason.
After facing Marshall, UCF will continue its quest for the postseason at the C-USA Championship, which begins Wednesday in El Paso, Texas. UCF could potentially return to the UCF Arena to host games in postseason events including the National Invitation Tournament and the College Basketball Invitational.
If the Knights host a postseason game, season ticket holders will have first right of refusal to purchase tickets at their current seat location. More ticket information will be made available next week. Fans with any questions about the postseason ticket process can call the UCF Athletics ticket office at (407) UCF-1000.
Here is a look at UCF's possible postseason destinations:
NCAA Tournament
The winner of the C-USA Championship title will receive the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. UCF will most likely have a high seed at the event in El Paso, but recent history is on the Knights' side. In 2010, No. 7 seed Houston won four games in four days at the C-USA Championship to earn an invitation to the "Big Dance." The NCAA Tournament will begin with the inaugural First Four games on March 15, and conclude with the Final Four in Houston in early April.
National Invitation Tournament
The oldest college basketball tournament in the country, the postseason National Invitation Tournament, which began in 1938, features 32 teams. The event is organized by the NCAA and seeds teams in four regions. The lower seeded team serves as the host for first three rounds of the event, which will begin with games on March 15. The semifinals and championship games are slated for March 29-31 at Madison Square Garden in New York. NIT games are televised on the ESPN family of networks. The Knights have never participated in the NIT.
College Basketball Invitational
In its fourth year, the College Basketball Invitational features 16 teams and is played at on-campus arenas throughout the country. The event features four rounds, with the title decided in a best-of-three championship series. Play at the CBI begins on March 15. Teams are invited based upon performance during their conference and non-conference schedules, as well as how well the team is playing at the end of the regular season. C-USA teams have enjoyed great success in the CBI, with Tulsa claiming the inaugural championship in 2008, and UTEP reaching the championship series in 2009.
2010-11 UCF Team Accomplishments
? Have won 19 regular season games after claiming just 15 victories a year ago
? Entered the national rankings in December for the first time in program history
? Spent five total weeks in the national rankings
? Defeated No. 16 Florida in December to record just the second win over a ranked team in school history
? Also registered wins over USF and Miami during a perfect 13-0 non-conference campaign
? Established a school single-season attendance record as 114,142 fans watched the Knights play at the UCF Arena this year for an average of 6,714 per game