CHARLESTON, S.C. (UCFKnights.com) - Sophomore Tacko Fall dunked the first of his eight total slams in the game on the very first possession Monday night. The 7-foot-6 center led the UCF men's basketball team with a career high 26 points and 12 rebounds as the Knights led wire-to-wire and defeated Mississippi State 86-61 in the first round of the Gildan Charleston Classic.
"I was really proud of the way that our guys started the game," UCF head coach Johnny Dawkins said. "I thought we came out and really executed on both ends very well. They're a good team. They're a young team, they have a lot of talent, and I think our guys did a good job of going out there and respecting who they were."
The Knights used a 16-2 run early in the first half to take a 22-7 advantage over the Bulldogs and then just kept rolling through the first 20 minutes. Senior Tank Efianayi and Nick Banyard were crucial during the first half spurt, each scoring five points and knocking down one three-pointer apiece.
After going into the break with a staggering 53-33 advantage, UCF continued to maintain their lead throughout the second thanks to steady play on both ends of the floor.
"You always try to sustain [the lead]," Dawkins said. "That's part of our growth. I'm new, they're new. We're trying to teach how to manage a game. We did a lot of talking about the management of games during every timeout. We were just trying to make sure our guys understood that there's a certain level of focus that's required. Our guys did a good job - for the most part - of staying focused and following the game plan."
UCF held on for the 86-61 victory and will take on the winner of the nightcap between Boise State and Charleston. The game will be at 9:30 p.m. on Friday and be broadcast on ESPNU and FM 96.9 The Game. Villanova and Wake Forest won earlier in the day on the other side of the bracket.
FOUR THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
First UCF win against an SEC team since 2010
The Knights have won just two games on the court against SEC teams in the history of the program. In 2009 UCF won 84-74 over Auburn and in 2010 the Knights took down Florida 57-54. Like Thursday's victory over Mississippi State, the other two were also neutral site competitions.
The Knights dominated the paint by a margin of 48-14
Led by Fall, UCF was extremely efficient on offense once again. The big man went 13-of-17 from the floor to help the Knights shoot 50.0 percent (32-of-64) for the game. Efianayi and Banyard were also effective in the paint, going 7-of-14 and 3-of-6, respectively, for identical 50.0 percent shooting nights.
On the other end of the floor UCF allowed Mississippi State just 14 points in the paint and forced the Bulldogs to shoot merely 32.3 percent from the floor. MSU was also 6-of-24 (25.0 percent) from beyond the arc on the night.
B.J. Taylor is not just a scoring point guard with 10 assists
Often labeled as such, Taylor proved Thursday that he can adjust his game as needed. The redshirt sophomore didn't refrain from scoring, finishing with 17 points, including a 6-of-6 night at the line, but he also was extremely effective at getting his teammates involved.
- Taylor recorded a career high 10 assists to record the first double-double of his collegiate career.
- Potentially more importantly, the point guard played 35 minutes and didn't turn the ball over once.
"I thought he was terrific. To have 10 assists and no turnovers was great. He played mid-30 minutes and to do that as a guard says a lot about who he can become. He did a great job of picking his spots. Sometimes he would take it. Sometimes he would deliver the pass. I think that leaves defenses guessing a lot. I was really pleased with his overall performance." - Johnny Dawkins
Tacko Fall seems to be getting better and better, scoring a career high 24 points
- The big man went for a career high 26 points on 13-of-17 shooting from the floor, including those eight dunks.
- Fall added 12 rebounds, four on the offensive end, for his second straight double-double and the sixth of his career.
- After four swats against Nicholls on opening night, Fall added three to his season stats Thursday.
"Tacko's making it enjoyable, because he's allowing us to coach him. As he grows as a player we become better as a team. It started this summer and I'm really proud of how he's developing." - Johnny Dawkins
COMING UP NEXT
The Knights will next take on the winner of Boise State and Charleston Friday night at 9:30 p.m. The semifinal game of the Gildan Charleston Classic will air on ESPNU and FM 96.9 The Game from TD Arena in Charleston.
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