Nov. 25, 2011
="" alt="Knight Head" border="0" class="imported"> Read John Denton's Knights Insider | ="" alt="Twitter Logo" border="0" class="imported">Follow us on Twitter | ="" alt="Facebook Logo" border="0" class="imported">Get social with the Knights on Facebook
By Doug Richards
UCFAthletics.com
Box Score in PDF Format Photo Gallery
PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas (UCFAthletics.com) - The one word that UCF head coach Donnie Jones used time and time again after his squad picked up one of the biggest wins in program history Friday was "proud." Jones, now in his second year with the Knights, had plenty of reasons to be pleased as his team rallied from a 17-point second half deficit to defeat No. 4 and defending national champion UConn, 68-63, and advance to the Battle 4 Atlantis championship game Saturday.
Marcus Jordan and Keith Clanton each scored 20 points in the win at Imperial Arena as the Knights (4-1) snapped UConn's (5-1) 16-game winning streak. The juniors received most of the acclaim after the game, but it was a total team effort, especially on the defensive end, that lead to the historic victory.
The win over a ranked opponent was just the third in school history for UCF, who also defeated No. 16 Florida last year and No. 25 College of Charleston back in 2002.
"I am really just proud of my team and how they fought back when we were down with 14 minutes to go in the game," UCF head coach Donnie Jones said. "We put in a great effort and we just kept fighting and we were fortunate that the ball bounced our way at the end of the stretch."
UConn put together a 10-0 run to take a 50-33 lead with 16 minutes left. The Knights then scored 17 of the next 19 points to pull within two. Clanton kicked off the rally with a 3-pointer and Jordan finished the spurt with a 3.
Jeremy Lamb made another 3 to stretch the Huskies' lead to five, but they couldn't hold off the Knights. Jordan converted a layup, then made two free throws to give UCF a 58-57 advantage with just over three minutes left. Jordan added four more foul shots down the stretch to preserve the big win.
UCF limited UConn to just 34.5 percent shooting and 25 total points in the second half.
"I am proud of the defense that everyone played. I think the old cliche is good defense wins championships. I think everyone stepped up and played the best they could and ultimately we won," Jordan said.
The Knights will now meet either Harvard or No. 20 Florida State for the tournament title Saturday at 4:30 p.m.
UCF was facing its second top-25 opponent in only five games this season.
The Huskies took a 38-29 lead into halftime after Lamb hit a long jumper with four seconds to play. Clanton scored 11 points in the opening half, when he shot 3-of-3 from 3-point range. Twenty-eight of UConn's 38 points in the first half came inside the paint.
The Knights were meeting the Huskies for the fourth time since 2005.
Isaiah Sykes added 10 points in the win, and scored on some timely buckets late in the game. Tristan Spurlock chipped in with eight points off the bench.
UCF opened the Battle 4 Atlantis with a 74-63 victory over College of Charleston Thursday. Clanton matched a career high with 28 points in the win.
UCF's game Saturday will be aired nationally on Versus.