UNCASVILLE, Conn. (UCFKnights.com) – Despite trailing for nearly 30 minutes of game time, UCF kept Tulane within reach, and with two minutes left to play, made its move. The Knights sealed a 61-57 win over the Green Wave at the free throw line and advance to their first-ever American Athletic Conference semifinal.
Senior Zykira Lewis scored nine of her team-leading 17 points in the fourth quarter. The Bartow, Fla., native gave UCF a 53-52 edge with her fourth three-pointer of the game. The Knights hit six free throws down the stretch to secure its 20th victory of the season.
Tulane (16-14) led for 29 minutes and 23 seconds of the game, but the Knights never allowed the Green Wave to take more than a seven-point lead. UCF outrebounded Tulane, 39-26, scoring 14 second chance points while limiting the Green Wave to just four.
Sophomore Tolulope Omokore posted her fourth double-double of the season, scoring 11 points to go along with 10 rebounds. Junior Aliyah Gregory chipped in 11 points with five assists and four steals. Freshman Korneila Wright added 10 points with five assists and four steals.
More Milestones
• Saturday's win marked UCF's 20th win of the season, which marks the first campaign with 20 or more victories since 2010-11 (22-11).
• The Knights advanced to their first-ever American Athletic Conference semifinal after earning their first win in The American tournament.
• In its previous three trips to the league tournament, UCF dropped its opening game.
• The Knights will make their first conference tournament semifinal appearance since the 2013 Conference USA Tournament when UCF advanced to the title game.
Notables
• Hitting four shots behind the arc, Zykira Lewis pushed her career total to 261. She continues to hold the record for the most three-pointers made by a Knight, man or woman, in UCF history.
• Tolulope Omokore collected her fourth double-double of the season, and the sixth of her career. She led a balanced rebounding effort, pulling down five offensive and five defensive rebounds in the game.
• The Knights are now 2-2 all-time against Tulane in conference tournaments. In the last meeting, UCF earned an 85-73 win in the C-USA semifinal.
• UCF played in its first neutral site game of the season.
Up next, UCF will face top-seeded UConn in the 2017 Frontier Communications American Athletic Conference semifinal. The Sunday contest is slated for a 5 p.m. tip on ESPN2.
