ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) - The UCF women's basketball team rallied for a 65-60 overtime win over Jacksonville in the first round of the WNIT on Wednesday evening in CFE Arena.
"Our seniors really stepped up," UCF head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson said. "I'm very proud of them because we have another day. We're alive again, and that's big because it's March madness."
UCF (22-10) held a three point, 11-8, edge after the first quarter of action, but Jacksonville (24-9) outscored the Knights in the second 10 minutes to take a 21-16 lead into the locker rooms. The Black and Gold outscored the Dolphins in the third and fourth quarters, but a Jacksonville buzzer beating three-pointer locked the score at 49 at the end of regulation.
The Knights pulled away down the stretch for their first overtime win of the season, advancing to the second round of the WNIT for the second straight season with a 65-60 victory.
Zakiya Saunders led all scorers with 25 points to go along with a team-high four assists. Lawriell Wilson added 15 points and Aliyah Gregory chipped in 11 points with three assists. Kayla Thigpen collected a team-high seven rebounds, and Nyala Shuler pulled down three boards on each end for her six rebounds.
Zakiya Saunders and Lawriell Wilson combined for 40 of UCF's 65 points.
- Zakiya Saunders posted her third-straight 20-point performance, and her ninth overall this season.
- Lawriell Wilson scored a season-high 15 points, going 6-for-9 from the floor. The Kenner, La., native hit her first three-pointer of the season and collected three rebounds.
- The duo combined to shoot 8-for-8 from the free throw line.
UCF made a season-high 21 free throws.
- The game was won at the free throw line, as the Knights shot 80.8 percent.
- UCF made a season-best 21 free throws, one more than its previous best (20 at Gardner-Webb) on 26 attempts.
- The Knights went 8-for-8 from the charity strip in the overtime period.
The Knights won their 22nd game of the season.
- UCF reached its most wins since the 2010-11 campaign with the victory over the Dolphins.
- The 22 wins ties the most victories for the Knights as a Division I program.
UCF will now travel to Alabama to take on the Crimson Tide in the second round of the WNIT at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
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