STORRS, Conn. (UCFKnights.com) – The UCF women's basketball team put together a late rally but was unable to overcome an early deficit in a 66-53 loss to No. 5/6 UConn in Gampel Pavilion on Saturday.
UCF (16-9, 8-5 The American) got off to a slow start as UConn (23-3, 13-0 The American) held a 16-4 advantage at the end of the first quarter. The Knights cut UConn's lead to single digits, 25-16, before heading into the locker room trailing 28-18.
The Huskies pushed their lead to 20 points with just under two minutes left in the third quarter, but the Knights scored eight unanswered points to close the third and open the fourth quarter. UCF shot 60 percent from the floor in the third quarter.
The Black and Gold outscored UConn 10-6 in the opening six minutes of the final frame, but the Knights were unable to get any closer down the stretch.
UCF forced the Huskies into 18 turnovers, leading to 14 points for the Knights. The Black and Gold also held the advantage in points in the paint, 28-18. The Knights also outrebounded the Huskies 35-33.
Masseny Kaba led the Knights with her first double-double of the season of 14 points and 12 rebounds.
Kay Kay Wright added 12 points with two assists and two steals. The Orlando native surpassed the 1,500-point mark and currently has 1,508. Sianni Martin chipped in 11 points with a team-high three assists.
NEXT UP
UCF returns to Orlando to host Temple on Feb. 26. The 6 p.m. contest will stream on ESPN3.
GET THE APP
Never miss any UCF Knights news from your favorite team by downloading the free UCF Knights app right to your iOS or Android phone! The app provides personalized information for men's and women's teams, scores, schedules, loyalty programs and even breaking news.
