ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – For the second weekend in a row, the UCF women's basketball team is in action at CFE Arena, hosting Gardner-Webb. The Knights take on the Runnin' Bulldogs in a 2 p.m. matchup on the blacktop on Saturday.
Saturday is a doubleheader with women's and men's basketball at CFE Arena. The purchase of one ticket will allow fans to attend both the women's game at 2 p.m. and the men's contest against Maryland Eastern Shore at 5 p.m. that day.
The first 150 fans will receive a UCF-themed Santa hat. Doors open at 1 p.m.
Please note: Parking for fans will only be available in Garages H and D, and East Plaza Drive and West Plaza Drive will be closed on Saturday.
In its last outing, UCF (7-2) hit the 70-point mark for the second time this season. The Knights took an early lead over Bethune-Cookman on Dec. 4 and never looked back, cruising to a 70-43 win over the Wildcats. Redshirt sophomore Nyala Shuler posted her first double-double of the season, scoring 13 points while grabbing a season-high 10 rebounds in the victory.
Senior Zykira Lewis leads the Black and Gold, averaging 15.7 points per game and needs just seven three-pointers to set the UCF career record. Lewis ranks sixth in the nation in steals with 27 on the season. Junior Aliyah Gregory joins Lewis in the national rankings as her 20 steals are No. 68 in the country. Redshirt senior Joslyn Massey averages 8.2 rebounds per contest for the Knights, while freshman Korneila Wright leads UCF with 25 assists this season.
Four different Knights have led UCF in scoring so far this season. Six different Knights have led the team in steals through the first nine contests of the campaign.
The Knights rank third in the nation with 120 steals on the season. With their opponents averaging just 50.7 points per game, the Black and Gold scoring defense ranks seventh in the country. UCF has outrebounded eight opponents this season, with its 12.4 rebounding margin ranking 10th nationally.
Gardner-Webb brings a 3-4 overall record to CFE Arena. The Runnin' Bulldogs will play their sixth game away from home when they suit up against the Knights, and hold a 1-4 record in road or neutral site contests this season.
The Runnin' Bulldogs are led on offense by Tierra Huntsman, who averages 14.0 points per game. She also has 11 steals for Gardner-Webb this season. Charlisa Jenkins pulls down 8.1 rebounds per game for Gardner-Webb. Evelyn Adebayo has a team-high four blocks and is shooting 81.8 percent from the free throw line, making 18 of her 22 attempts.
Saturday's contest is the first between UCF and Gardner-Webb since the 2004-05 campaign. The former Atlantic Sun foes met five times from 2003-05, with the Knights capturing all five victories.
Next up, UCF hits the road for the final time in non-conference action, facing Georgia Southern on Dec. 17. Tip is scheduled for 2 p.m. Statesboro, Ga. The Knights return to CFE Arena on Dec. 20 to host Omaha at 2 p.m. and close non-conference play on Dec. 28 when UC Davis comes to town for a 7 p.m. contest.
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Don't miss any of the action during Coach Abe's first season with the Knights. Season tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here. Adult season tickets are available for $30, and youth tickets (ages 2-17 years) are available for $15.
