ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – After two weeks on the road, the UCF women's basketball team returns to CFE Arena on Wednesday evening. The Knights host Houston in an American Athletic Conference matchup at 7 p.m.
The first 100 students in attendance will receive the newly released February Knightro bobblehead.
UCF (13-9, 3-6 The American) and Houston (9-14, 2-8 The American) meet for the second time this season. The Black and Gold outscored the Cougars 22-9 in the third quarter to cruise to a 62-48 win in Houston on Jan. 11. Four Knights finished in double figures as UCF rallied for its first league win of the season.
Defense has been the mainstay for the Knights this season. UCF is holding opponents to just 55.8 points per game, which ranks 20th in the nation. The Black and Gold continue to lead the league and rank 14th in the country with an average of 11.5 steals per contest.
Senior Zykira Lewis ranks 14th nationally with 70 steals on the season and is just five shy of moving into the single season top 10 at UCF.
Offensively, the Knights have relied on the hot hands of Lewis and junior Aliyah Gregory. The duo has combined to lead UCF in scoring in the last 16 games. Gregory turned in a season-best 28 points in the loss at SMU and is averaging 17.7 points per game in league play, which is the fourth-most in The American. Lewis, who is just three points shy of hitting 1,700 career points, averages 14.0 points per game in conference action.
Sophomore Tolulope Omokore and redshirt senior Joslyn Massey have been big on the boards for the Knights. Of Omokore's 136 rebounds, 82 have come on the offensive glass. For Massey, 77 of her 154 rebounds are offensive boards.
Freshman Korneila Wright has dished out 88 assists on the season, averaging 4.0 per contest for UCF. The Orlando, Fla., native ranks eighth among league players and is the top freshman in assists in the conference.
Houston enters the matchup with a 9-14 overall record and a 2-8 mark in The American. The Cougars snapped an eight-game losing streak on Saturday with a 73-62 win over East Carolina in Greenville.
Jasmyne Harris paces the Cougars on offense, averaging 11.3 points per game. Serithia Hawkins grabs 7.7 rebounds per contest. Angela Harris has a team-leading 39 steals, while Chyanne Butler has dished out team-high 70 assists.
The Cougars rank third in the league in offensive rebounds, averaging 14.6 per game. Houston is fourth among conference teams in steals, with 209 on the season and 9.1 per contest.
The Knights hold an 11-6 edge in the all-time series and are 6-2 when hosting the Cougars in Orlando.
Next up, UCF heads to Tulsa for a Saturday contest against the Golden Hurricane. Tip is set for 2 p.m. ET on the American Digital Network.
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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.