ORLANDO (UCFKnights.com) – UCF and SMU met in the first game of American Athletic Conference play back on Dec. 27. The two teams will do battle once again, 52 days later, as the Knights host the Mustangs Saturday morning at CFE Arena.
Tipoff is scheduled for an early 11 a.m. start with coverage on ESPNU and FM 96.9/AM 740 The Game.
The Knights (16-9, 7-6) are winners of their last two and come into the weekend in fifth place in The American standings. On Sunday UCF won in Memphis for the first time in program history and then on Wednesday, the Black and Gold took care of its rival USF for the sixth straight time.
SMU (15-11, 5-8), meanwhile, has struggled of late, losing four in a row with The American Preseason Player of the Year Shake Milton out with an injury. Like the Knights, the Mustangs have fought through injuries all year, also losing starter Jarrey Foster about a month ago.
When UCF and SMU met in Dallas back in December, the Mustangs won 56-51 behind a pair of 14-point performances from Milton and Foster.
The Knights' leading scorer, B.J. Taylor, did not play in that one due to his foot injury, but Tacko Fall did. Fall had six points and seven rebounds in the loss to SMU.
Taylor and A.J. Davis have been on fire lately. Both scored 20 or more points in the wins over Memphis and USF. In doing so, they became the first UCF duo to score 20+ points in back-to-back games in program history.
With just five games to play in the regular season, Taylor and Davis will attempt to end the year like they did last year…on a run. Last season UCF won its final five games to finish 20-10. If the Knights close out on a similar streak this time, they would head into the conference tournament 21-9.
GAME INFO
Date: Saturday, Feb. 17
Time: 11 a.m. ET
TV: ESPNU
Radio: 96.9 FM/740 AM The Game
Live Stats: http://ucfknights.co/MBBLiveStats1718
NOTES TO KNOW
- SMU leads the all-time series 11-6.
- The Knights hold a 4-3 advantage in the series in games played in Orlando.
- UCF hasn't defeated SMU since 2013, as the Mustangs have won all eight matchups since both teams joined the American Athletic Conference.
- B.J. Taylor leads the Knights with 14.8 points per game and has scored 20 or more points four times since returning from injury.
- A.J. Davis is second in the league with 8.0 rebounds per game.
- UCF is third in the nation, holding opponents to 61.2 points per game, and ranks fifth with a 38.9 defensive field goal percentage.
CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE GAME NOTES – SMU
SEASON TICKETS
Tickets for the 2017-18 campaign are on sale now. Fans looking to purchase tickets can call (407) 823-1000 or visit UCFKnights.com to secure them today. For men's basketball tickets CLICK HERE.
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