UNCASVILLE, Conn. (UCFKnights.com) - UCF's run in the 2017 Frontier Communications American Athletic Conference Tournament came to an end on Sunday evening. The Knights dropped a 78-56 decision to No. 1 UConn in a semifinal matchup inside the Mohegan Sun Arena.
"I'm really proud of our team," head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson said. "Last year (the team) won seven games; this year we won 20. You see that there is still a lot of fight left in them. That was the biggest thing for me."
After falling behind 8-0 to start the game, UCF (20-11) outscored the Huskies 14-8 over the next five minutes of game action. Senior Zykira Lewis pulled the Knights within two, 16-14, with 2:16 left in the opening quarter.
The Knights kept things close in the second quarter, but the top-ranked Huskies took a 37-25 edge into the locker room at halftime. UConn doubled up on UCF in the third quarter to push its advantage to 61-37 at the end of the third quarter.
Not quite ready to end its run in the tournament, the Knights continued to fight in the final 10 minutes of action. Sophomore Tolulope Omokore completed the old-fashion three-point play at the free throw line. Lewis drained two of her four three-pointers in the final 43 seconds of action for the final score of 78-56.
The Knights committed just 11 turnovers, the second-lowest mark of the season. UCF also held the edge on the offensive glass, converting 15 offensive rebounds into 15 second chance points.
Zykira Lewis scored a game-high 22 points and collected a pair of steals. She now ranks third all-time with 252 career steals. Her four three-pointers push her season total to 74, which is the fifth-most in a single season at UCF. Lewis has now made 265 shots from behind the arc during her tenure as a Knight.
Junior Aliyah Gregory added 13 points, while grabbing a season-best eight rebounds. Redshirt senior Joslyn Massey pulled down a team-high nine rebounds, and freshman Korneila Wright dished out five assists.
UCF, whose 20 wins mark a 13-victory improvement over last season, will await to learn its postseason fate on March 13.
