ORLANDO - The UCF women's basketball team hosts Tulane for a Tuesday American Athletic Conference matchup in Addition Financial Arena.
The Knights (10-6, 1-3 AAC) and the Green Wave (11-7, 1-4 AAC) will tip off at 6 p.m. on ESPN+.
A UCF WIN WOULD...
• Be UCF's fifth consecutive win over Tulane
• Be UCF's second American Athletic Conference win this season
• Improve the Knights to 11-6 on the season
• Give Sytia Messer her 11th win as head coach for the Knights and 65th of her career
• Be better than a loss
SERIES BREAKDOWN
Overall: Tulane leads 13-11
In New Orleans: Tulane leads 8-3
In Orlando: UCF leads 7-4
Neutral Site: Tied 1-1
Last meeting: W, 69-67 (1/26/22) in Orlando
Streak: UCF won 4
LAST TIME OUT
The Knights won their first AAC game this season with a 59-56 victory over Wichita State on Sunday, Jan. 15 in Addition Financial Arena. Destiny Thomas set a career-high with 24 points added in 13 rebounds to record her eighth double-double this season. Mya Burns contributed 10 points, while Rachel Ranke led the Knights in steals with four and tallied seven rebounds.
CRASHING THE BOARDS
The Black and Gold are ranked in the top 50 in three statistical categories including No. 7 in offensive rebounds per game with 17.2 and 10th in rebounds per game (17.20). UCF leads the AAC in both categories. The Knights are ranked 37th in free throw attempts per game with 21.06.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE DESTINY
Individually, Destiny Thomas is second in the nation for offensive rebounds per game (5.3) and 13th in rebounds per game (10.9). Thomas has recorded eight double-doubles this season and ranks 23rd in the country. Her program-record tying 24 rebounds against Seton Hall are the second most by an NCAA DI player this season behind Angel Reese from LSU (28). In the AAC, she is one of two players averaging a double-double along with South Florida's Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu. Thomas recorded a career-high 24 points on Jan. 15 against Wichita State.
CAPITALIZING ON THE FREEBIES
Headlined by a season-high 23 free throws made against Idaho State (12/20) and 28 attempts against Tulsa (1/7) and Auburn (12/3), the Knights are second in the conference with 14.53 free throws made per game. UCF is third in the conference for free throw attempts per game with 21.06.
Laila Jewett leads the Black and Gold with an .825 free throw percentage (33-40).
JEWETT'S GEM
Laila Jewett recorded a career-high 34 points against Samford on Nov. 26. Jewett's 34 points came via an impressive 56 percent shooting from the field (9-16), including five made triples on nine tries from beyond the arc. That total is tied with South Florida's Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu for most points by any player in the AAC this season.
BOLTING IN
Sierra Godbolt is ranked fifth in the conference with 2.06 steals per game followed by sixth in assists per game with 3.4. Godbolt is one of two players in the AAC to be ranked in the top 10 for steals and assists along with Wichita State's DJ McCarty.
SCOUTING TULANE
The Green Wave are 11-7 overall with a 1-4 mark in league play as they enter Tuesday's contest. Tulane comes into Orlando after falling to South Florida on Jan. 14, 66-53, in its most recent outing on Saturday, Jan. 14.
Three members of Tulane's squad average double figures, led by Marta Galic's 13.6 points per game. Dynah Jones averages 12.3 while Kyren Whittington adds 11.6. Galic also leads the team in rebounds (7.3) and Whittington leads in steals per game (2.0).
Tuesday marks the 25th meeting between the Knights and Green Wave. Tulane holds a 13-11 edge, with the last meeting on Jan. 26, 2022.
LAST TIME VERSUS TULANE
UCF rallied from a 13-point deficit to defeat Tulane in the last matchup, as the Green Wave led for 27:30 but the Knights came out on top, 69-67. Following a hot start from Tulane, UCF chipped away at the lead to head into halftime trailing 36-29. The Knights outscored the Green Wave, 19-15, in the third quarter to narrow the margin to three at 51-48.
A steal by Thomas led to UCF's first lead since the first quarter at the 9:02 mark in the fourth quarter. The lead changed three times in the final period, but the Knights held on for the two-point win to complete the season sweep against Tulane.
