ORLANDO – The 2021-22 UCF women's basketball season begins on Tuesday as the Knights play host to Duquesne in Addition Financial Arena.
The teams tip at 6 p.m. and the game will stream on ESPN+.
GAME INFO
Date: Tuesday, Nov. 9
Time: 6 p.m. ET
Watch: ESPN+
Free Admission
KNIGHTS GIVE BACK
As part of Knights Give Back, UCF Athletics is holding a sports ball drive at Tuesday's season opener. Fans are encouraged to bring their used balls to donate. Crown to Crown and Children Beyond Our Borders will receive all the donations following the game.
SCOUTING UCF
The Knights return nearly every member of the 2021 NCAA Tournament squad, including preseason first team all-conference selection Tay Sanders. The Bartow, Florida, native was UCF's leading scorer a season ago, averaging 10.4 points per game. In addition to Sanders, UCF returns a two-time all-conference selection in Brittney Smith, all-tournament performers Diamond Battles and Masseny Kaba and The American Newcomer and Co-Sixth Player of the Year Alisha Lewis.
UCF matched its highest preseason selection as members of The American for the second straight year. The Knights repeated as the second spot in the conference's preseason poll and picked up a first-place vote from the league coaches for the third consecutive season.
Since taking over in 2016, head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson has led the Black and Gold to four consecutive 20-win campaigns for the first time in the program's Division I history. Coach ABE has guided the Knights to four postseason appearances, including back-to-back NCAA Tournament berths.
SCOUTING DUQUESNE
After dropping seven in a row at one point last season, the Dukes capped the 2020-21 regular-season with three victories in five games. Precious Johnson ranked second in the A-10 in field goal percentage, shooting 53.0 percent from the floor (44-of-83) on the season. In the Dukes' last five regular-season games, Megan McConnell dished out 12 assists compared to just three turnovers. At 5-7, she also pulled down 20 rebounds during that span. Tess Myers ranked fifth in the A-10 in three-point field goal percentage, connecting on 39.7 pct. of attempts from long range (25-of-63).
Duquesne was selected to finish ninth in the Atlantic 10 in the preseason poll.
Dan Burt enters his ninth season as head coach of the Dukes. The Dukes have earned 10 postseason appearances and 10 20-win seasons in 14 seasons in the Steel City.
THE SERIES
Tuesday's contest marks the second meeting between UCF and Duquesne. The Knights earned the first victory, 63-50, on Dec. 12, 2018 in A.J. Palumbo Center.
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