Oct. 20, 2011
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By David Buchman
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - The UCF men's basketball team had a productive offseason of training and conditioning. Much of that can be credited to the Knights summer tour of Canada, in which the team played three games, and had a handful of practices.
One Knight who took full advantage of playing summer ball was senior Dwight McCombs.
"I think playing in the summer was great," he said. "I know I went out there and worked hard."
During the 2010-11 season, his first with the Knights, McCombs showed glimpses of his athletic ability with multiple double-digit scoring games along with timely blocks and rebounds. This season he expects more from himself.
"I dropped 15 or 20 pounds by working with our strength and conditioning coach (Ben O'Donnell)," McCombs said. "I'm running the floor better and feeling lighter, I think it will help me make more of an impact."
For McCombs, UCF is the third school he's attended during his colligate career. After spending his freshman year at Miami University (Ohio) in 2007, McCombs transferred to Moraine Valley Community College in Illinois. His first season with the team was in 2009-10 and he led the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II in blocks with 5.0 per game.
"I can't believe this is going to be it for me here at UCF," he said. "Every day when I walk off the court I know that at this time next year I won't be playing with this group of guys."
For now, McCombs and the Knights are looking to improve on their 21-12 record from last season, and hope to make a run at the Conference USA title.
"I have high hopes and expectations for this team," McCombs stated. "I believe we are going to do a lot of big things this year and we've got the potential to go real far. Whether we do it is all on us."