ORLANDO – Pressure makes diamonds, and Diamond Battles makes game-winning baskets for the UCF women's basketball team. The senior guard clinched a 52-51 victory for the Knights over Arkansas on Thursday evening in Addition Financial Arena.
Trailing Arkansas (6-2) by one point with 13.1 seconds remaining, UCF (6-1) called timeout. Out of the huddle, Battles collected the inbounds pass, put her head down, and drove past the basket. Her reverse layup hit high off the backboard and dropped in to put the Knights up by one, 52-51, with 8.1 seconds remaining.
Then the UCF defense did what it is known to do – stopped the Razorback offense and secured the victory.
WOOOOO @UCF_WBB?? pic.twitter.com/THUZ40Xq9r
— UCF Knights (@UCFKnights) December 3, 2021
While Battles sank the final basket, the Knights bounced back as a team. Arkansas jumped out to a 10-lead. UCF was held to just nine points in the opening frame, and trailed by three, 23-20, at halftime, but kept the game in reach in the second half.
Four points from Tay Sanders in the first three minutes of the fourth quarter pulled UCF even on the scoreboard. A pair of free throws from Masseny Kaba gave UCF a two-point 41-39 edge. The veteran Knights stepped up to keep the Black and Gold in control, leading to Battles' game-winner.
The Razorbacks, who entered the game averaging 85.0 points per contest, were held to a season-low 51 points, marking the fewest points Arkansas has scored since a 71-34 loss at LSU on Feb. 7, 2019.
UCF held a 39-31 rebounding edge and limited the Razorbacks to just 29 percent from beyond the arc.
Tay Sanders scored 13 of her team-leading 15 points in the second half. Diamond Battles added 13 points for the Knights and both collected three steals. Destiny Thomas continued her rebounding dominance, pulling down five of her career-high 13 boards on the offensive end.
UCF will take a break for finals before closing out non-conference action on the road. The Knights return to action on Dec. 12 at Mercer.