MEMPHIS, Tenn. (UCFKnights.com) – The UCF women's basketball team fell short against Memphis, 65-59, in an American Athletic Conference matchup inside Elma Roane Fieldhouse on Saturday morning.
UCF (13-8, 3-5 The American) got off to a bit of a slow start, falling behind 7-2 in the opening four minutes of action. Senior Zykira Lewis provided a spark for the Knights off the bench, starting a 7-2 run with a steal and a layup. Lewis capped off the run with her first of six three-pointers in the game. Memphis hit a shot beyond the arc with three ticks left in the first quarter to hold a 14-13 advantage.
The Black and Gold found themselves down 18-15 at the 7:01 mark, but Lewis provided another spark, hitting a triple to even the score at 18. Good ball movement led to a jumper for freshman Korneila Wright to put the Knights ahead 20-18, and Lewis extended the lead to 23-18 with a three-pointer. Sophomore Tolulope Omokore gave UCF its largest advantage of the game, 30-21, with a bucket under the basket with 2:31 remaining in the second quarter.
The Knights shot 52.2 percent from the field in the first half to take a 30-23 lead into the locker room.
Memphis (10-11, 3-5 The American) scored seven unanswered points to open the third quarter and tie the game at 30. The home team took a 35-34 lead at the 4:56 mark in the third quarter and maintained control for the remainder of the contest.
Zykira Lewis led all scorers with 26 points, tying her season high. She hit a season-best six three-pointers and swiped four steals. Junior Aliyah Gregory added 13 points for the Knights. Redshirt senior Joslyn Massey posted her fourth double-double of the season, scoring 10 points and grabbing a game-high 10 rebounds. Korneila Wright dished out a career-best 10 assists.
Next up, UCF heads to Dallas to take on SMU on Feb. 4 at 3 p.m. ET. The Knights are back in CFE Arena on Feb. 8, hosting Houston at 7 p.m.
GET THE APP
Never miss any UCF Knights news from your favorite team by downloading the free UCF Knights app right to your iOS or Android phone! The app provides personalized information for men's and women's teams, scores, schedules, loyalty programs and even breaking news.
PURCHASE SEASON TICKETS
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.
