Jan. 25, 2012
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By John Denton
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - It's not uncommon for UCF center Josh Crittle to turn away from the court during a break in the action at the UCF Arena, wildly wave his arms and demand energy and noise from the team's fan base.
That's just Crittle's nature whether it's practice, a game or in the locker room for the Knights. The loveable, excitable 6-foot-9, 260-pound Crittle embraces his role as UCF's motivator when it comes to getting fired up for games.
``That's just my personality, being the guy to get the team fired up,'' said Crittle, a native of Bellwood, Ill. ``Some days you come out sluggish and it can't always be about coach getting us going; we have to find a way to get ourselves up, too. It's just about us sticking together and helping one another. I'm just trying to do my part.''
Crittle has given Knights fans plenty of reason to be hyped up lately, playing his best basketball of the season during conference play. His presence in the middle has helped UCF (15-4 overall and 5-1 in Conference USA play) win seven of eight games heading into Wednesday's 8 p.m. showdown at Tulsa (11-9 and 4-2).
The Knights have already accomplished two firsts in league play this season, beating Memphis for the first time in school history and winning at UAB last Saturday. Now, the Knights hope to beat Tulsa for the first time and stay on track for Saturday's big game at e tUCF Arena against Southern Miss.
Crittle's tough play inside and imposing nature helped the Knights limit UAB to 41 points last Saturday in a seven-point victory in Birmingham, Ala. He scored six points against the Blazers and had six points and seven rebounds in the thrilling home win against Memphis. In six C-USA games, Crittle has averaged 5.8 points and 4.2 rebounds while shooting an impressive 48.4 percent from the floor.
But it's his boundless energy that teammates marvel the most at. Always happy and bouncing around, Crittle is quick to make noise in the locker room and during practice to get his teammates fired up.
``Josh does a good job of getting everybody hyped,'' sophomore forward Isaiah Sykes said. ``He's good at getting you on that edge and making you focused and ready to play. I really like what he brings to our team.''
Crittle's ability to mesh with standout UCF guard Marcus Jordan and his ability to knock down clutch free throws - he's made 21 of 28 on the season - has helped steady the center position for the Knights. He and Jordan played AAU ball together prior to their days at UCF, and their bond on the court shows in how well they work together.
"Just playing together for awhile now and the chemistry between us is really coming along,'' Crittle said of his bond with Jordan. ``I know now when he's driving to be looking for the ball and he knows I'll be there in the open area or setting screens to get him open.''
Crittle originally committed to Oregon out of high school, and he appeared in 51 games in two seasons with the Ducks. But he transferred to UCF to reunite with friends A.J. Rompza and Jordan. He says he couldn't be any happier with his decision, and he's delighted about his role with the Knights.
``I always felt positive about this situation and I know now that coming here was a great decision for me as far as my career,'' he said. ``This is what I wanted to do out of high school - contribute to a team - and we're doing really good things here at UCF.''
Good enough to get excited about, which clearly is never a problem for the energetic Crittle.
John Denton's Knights Insider appears on UCFAthletics.com several times a week. E-mail John at jdenton@athletics.ucf.edu.