UNCASVILLE, Conn. (UCFKnights.com) -- March Madness got the best of the UCF women's basketball team on Friday night. The Knights ended their season with an 83-74 overtime loss to SMU in the first round of the American Athletic Conference Championship.
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After extending their 34-29 halftime lead to 13 points in the fourth quarter with eight minutes left, UCF (7-23) let SMU (13-17) back in with eight unanswered points. The Mustangs closed out the quarter on a 12-2 run, capped by Gabrielle Wilkins' layup with 2 seconds left to force overtime.
The Mustangs' momentum carried them through the extra period, outscoring UCF, 15-6, to survive and advance.
"We've got eight underclassmen and I like the fight. At one point I think we had three freshmen on the floor. There's a lot to work with and a lot to look forward to (next season)," UCF head coach Joi Williams said. "They're very disappointed. We talked about just not feeling like this again next year after the first game. Be hungry to come back and have another opportunity."
Gregory Leads the Way
* For the second straight year, guard Aliyah Gregory came up big for the Knights in her postseason appearance.
* Gregory finished with a game-high 22 points in addition to her 7 rebounds and team-leading 5 assists.
* Last year as a freshman, she netted a team-best 19 points in 19 minutes in the Knights' first round loss to Cincinnati.
* The Tampa native closed out the year with her third straight game in double figures and the second 20+ performance of the season.
Team Effort
* Junior Zykira Lewis (18 points) and freshman Kayla Thigpen (10 points) joined Gregory in double digits.
* Freshman Tolulope Omokore nearly contributed a double-double with 8 points and a team high 10 rebounds. It would have marked her third double-double of her final seven games of the season.
* All nine Knights who appeared in the game scored at least one field goal.