ORLANDO (UCFKnights.com) – The UCF women's basketball team heads to Memphis for its final road game of the regular season on Saturday.
The Knights (17-9, 9-5 The American) and the Tigers (13-14, 4-10 The American) will tip at 3 p.m. ET.
GAME INFO
Date: Saturday, Feb. 29
Time: 3 p.m. ET
Watch: Memphis Tigers Network
MAKING MOVES
A five-game win streak to start the month of February propelled UCF up the league standings. The Knights are currently in a three-way tie with Cincinnati and South Florida for second place.
A win in one of the remaining two games would clinch a top four seed and first round bye for the fourth straight year.
UCF, who finished second in the league in 2018-19, was selected to tie with Cincinnati for third in the preseason coaches poll.
KNIGHT NOTES
UCF continues league action after a tough 67-64 victory over Temple on Feb. 26. The Knights held off a late push by the Owls to secure the home victory and move back into a tie for second in the league standings.
The Knights are led by Kay Kay Wright who averages 17.0 points per game, 3.9 assists per game and 2.2 steals per game. The Orlando native became the only Knight to rank in the top five of UCF's career charts in points, assists and steals.
The Knights have also seen a sophomore surge from Brittney Smith, who joins Wright as a double-digit scorer for the Black and Gold. Fourteen double-digit performances, including a pair of 20-point games, bumped her to a 10.7 points per game scoring average. The Orlando native is also second in rebounding with 5.1 boards per game.
Masseny Kaba averaged a double-double (10.5 points, 10.0 rebounds) last week. The Dorchester, Mass., native posted her first double-double of the season against the Huskies with 14 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. The junior forward leads the Knights with 6.7 boards per game and has 27 blocks on the season while averaging 8.6 points per game. Sianni Martin is UCF's third-leading scorer with 8.7 points per game.
The Knights rank 30th nationally in turnovers forced at 19.81 per game, having forced 25 of their 26 opponents into 10 or more turnovers. The Black and Gold hold a 3.81 turnover margin which ranks 44th in the nation. UCF's scoring defense also ranks 43rd nationally as the Knights are limiting opponents to 57.8 points per game.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
UCF heads to Memphis for the second meeting between the squads this season. The Knights earned an 82-66 victory over the Tigers in Orlando on Jan. 25. Memphis enters the contest with a 13-14 overall record and a 4-10 mark in league play.
A trio of Tigers average double figures, led by Jamirah Shutes' 15.2 points per game. Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu averages 11.8 points and 8.4 rebounds per contest. Madison Griggs averages 10.0 points per game, having hit a freshman record 76 three-pointers this season.
Memphis holds an 16-14 advantage in the all-time series, but the Knights have won the last four meetings between the programs.
NEXT UP
UCF returns to Addition Financial Arena for the regular season finale on March 2. The Knights host Wichita State at 7 p.m. on Senior Knight. Following the contest, Kay Kay Wright, Sianni Martin and Grace Stant will be recognized during the senior celebration.
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