ORLANDO – The UCF women's basketball team returns to action on Saturday, heading to Cincinnati for an American Athletic Conference matchup in Fifth Third Arena.
The Knights (12-2, 4-0 The American) and Bearcats (8-9, 1-4 The American) tip at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
GAME INFO
Date: Saturday, Jan. 22
Time: 2 p.m. ET
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats
GETTING DEFENSIVE
During the Coach Abe era, the Knights have ranked among the best in the country defensively and the 2021-22 season is following the same pattern. UCF is limiting its opponents to 48.7 points per game, which ranks third nationally.
The Black and Gold have held nine opponents below 50 points, with two - Duquesne and Virginia - failing to reach 40 points. UCF is also holding opponents to a 34.7 field goal percentage, which also ranks 14th in the nation.
The Knights average 12.1 steals this season, which ranks 14th in the country, and rank 26th with 20.79 turnovers forced. UCF has forced each opponent this season into double-digit turnovers, with seven committing 20+ turnovers.
KNIGHT NOTES
- A hot start to 2022 has led to national recognition for the Knights. UCF was named the NCAA.com Team of the Week on Monday, following their upset of No. 24 South Florida. ESPN also called the War on I-4 victory its "Win of the Week."
- The Knights, who have appeared among the teams receiving votes in 10 straight USA Today/WBCA Top 25 polls so far, made their season debut on the receiving votes list of the AP Top 25 on Jan. 17.
- Tay Sanders garnered the first American Athletic Conference Player of the Week accolade of her career after averaging 20.5 points per game while shooting 57.7 percent from the field in the wins over Houston and South Florida. She is UCF's second-leading scorer on the season, averaging 11.9 points per game.
- Diamond Battles paces the Knights with 13.4 points per game, having reached double figures in 10 contests. The Winter Haven, Fla., native is one of 10 league players with three or more 20-point contests this season.
- Alisha Lewis, who tied The American and UCF single game records with 10 steals against Houston, ranks ninth in the country in steals per game, averaging 3.36. Her 47 steals ranks 15th among Division I student-athletes.
- Destiny Thomas leads UCF and ranks 100th nationally with 8.3 rebounds per game. She is one of six league players with six or more games with 10+ rebounds this season.
SCOUTING CINCINNATI
The Bearcats are 8-9 on the season, with a 1-4 mark in league play. Cincinnati snapped a five-game losing streak with a 71-56 midweek win at Houston.
A pair of Bearcats average double figures, led by Akira Levy's 12.7 points per game. She also averages 5.7 assists and 2.3 assists per game for Cincinnati. Jillian Hayes adds 11.6 points per contest and is the leading rebounder at 6.9 boards per game.
UCF took the lead in the all-time series, 10-9, with three wins over the Bearcats last season.
NEXT UP
UCF returns to Addition Financial Arena to host Tulane on Jan. 26. The second meeting between the Knights and Green Wave tips at 6 p.m. on ESPN+.
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