ORLANDO – The UCF men's basketball team will look to keep its solid start to the season rolling on Saturday as the Knights (5-2) welcome N.C. A&T (3-7) to Orlando for a 2 p.m. matinee at Addition Financial Arena.
The Knights, who are coming off an 81-45 win over Bethune-Cookman on Dec. 5, will look to secure head coach Johnny Dawkins his 100th victory as UCF's head coach. Dawkins, who began his coaching career with the Knights in 2016, is 99-62 since starting with the Knights, a win percentage of .615, the second best of any UCF coach (Torchy Clark, .754 from 1969-83). He has the third most wins over any UCF coach, trailing Clark's 274 and Kirk Speraw's 247 from 1993-2010, and he has led UCF to its first NIT Final Four (2017), first at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament (2019) and first NCAA Tournament win (2019) over that time.
The Knights lead the Aggies, 2-0, in the all-time series, with their last meeting resulting in a 77-65 UCF win on Dec. 13, 2011. N.C. A&T (3-7) is led by third-year head coach Willie Jones, who is 28-22 all-time with the Aggies. On the floor, N.C. A&T is paced by 6-foot-6 forward Marcus Watson, who leads the team with 12.4 points per game and 54 rebounds. Watson is shooting 40.2 percent from the field, including 33.3 percent from beyond the arc (17-of-51).
Fans who attend the game are encouraged to bring unwrapped toys to donate in the toy drive. During the game, fans can make a personal visit to Santa Claus himself, who will be located at the top of the student-section, and following the game, the Knights will host their annual Baby Race on the court.
A UCF win over the Aggies would move UCF to 6-2 to open the season, including a 4-1 mark at Addition Financial Arena.
GAME INFO
Date: Saturday, Dec. 11
Time: 2:00 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN+
Audio: FM 96.9 The Game
MONEY AT THE LINE
- UCF has knocked down 81.5 percent of its free throw opportunities through the first seven games of the season, which leads the conference and is 2nd in the nation as of Dec. 10.
- The Knights' current single-season record for highest field goal percentage is 76.1 percent (1975-76).
- Fifth year senior Brandon Mahan has not missed a free throw dating back to 02/01/21 at Memphis (last 17 games).
- Mahan is a perfect 38-for-38 in free throw attempts over that stretch.
- Mahan is currently UCF's all-time free throw percentage leader at 86.2 percent over his career.
- Mahan is one of four players in the country who is perfect at the line (17-17) and has made 2.5 free throws per game.
- Four Knights are shooting 87.5 percent or better from the line as of Dec. 10 (min. 9 attempts).
SOLID START
- The UCF men's basketball team opened the season with a 69-59 win over Robert Morris on Nov. 10 in front of 4,869 fans at Addition Financial Arena.
- UCF followed up its stellar opening Knight victory with wins over Miami and Evansville on the road and a victory over Jacksonville in front of its home crowd in Orlando.
- As a team, the Knights led The American with a 81.9 percent free throw percentage and were third in the conference with a 46.1 percent field goal percentage through their first five games.
- The Knights were also top three in The American with 14.6 assists per game over that stretch.
- Following a strong undefeated start to the season, the Knights were receiving votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll on Nov. 22.
- The Knights' appearance in the poll marked their first since Dec. 28, 2020 and their 20th under head coach Johnny Dawkins (2016-present).
- Before falling to Oklahoma on Nov. 27, UCF's 4-0 start marked their seventh best in program history [2010-11 (14-0), 2006-07 (6-0), 1993-94 (5-0), 1981-82 (5-0), 1979-80 (15-0) and 1969-70 (8-0)].
WIN OVER THE WILDCATS
- The Knights snapped a two-game losing streak with a covincing, 81-45 victory over Bethune-Cookman last weekend (Dec. 5).
- The Knights built a 27-point halftime lead, thanks mostly to 65.4% marksmanship in the opening 20 minutes, including a half-dozen three-point goals (on only eight attempts).
- UCF led by 20 less than 15 minutes into the matinee and was never really threatened.
- Bethune-Cookman shot only 33.3% through intermission and contributed to its own struggles with 13 first-half turnovers.
- The Knights placed four players in double figures--18 by Darin Green Jr. (four of eight on threes), 12 by Tyem Freeman off the bench, 11 by Brandon Mahan (three of four on threes) and 10 by C.J. Walker. Darius Perry had eight points and six assists.
- The Knights' season-high 21 assists against the Wildcats marked their most since 02/21/20 at Tulane.
CHALLENGING NON-CONFERENCE SLATE
- Highlighted by home games against Michigan and Oklahoma, as well as matchups against Florida State, Miami, and Auburn away from home, UCF will play 11 non-conference games in total to open the year.
- Three of the Knights' 11 non-conference opponents were ranked in the AP Top 25 preseason poll in No. 6 Michigan, No. 20 Florida State and No. 22 Auburn.
- The Knights defeated then No. 15 Florida State at their place, 86-74, last season and took down Auburn, 63-55, to open the 2020-21 season at home.
- Home games at Addition Financial Arena are back at 100% capacity for the 2021-22 season.
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