ORLANDO – The UCF women's basketball team returns home for a matchup with ECU on Saturday afternoon in Addition Financial Arena. The Knights (10-9, 1-5 AAC) and the Pirates (14-6, 5-3 AAC) game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
A UCF WIN WOULD...
• Improve the home record vs. ECU to 9-5
• Be UCF's second American Athletic Conference win this season
• Improve the Knights to 11-9 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: ECU leads 14-12
In Greenville: ECU leads 9-4
In Orlando: UCF leads 8-5
Neutral Site: 0-0
Last meeting: W, 52-43 (1/8/22)
Streak: UCF won 8
LAST TIME OUT
The Knights outrebounded and outshot in their last outing at Temple on Saturday with a back-and-forth game. The Owls took control of the lead in the fourth quarter to head into a 63-56 victory. Destiny Thomas recorded her ninth double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Taylor Gibson followed with 15 points, shooting seven of eight from the free-throw line. Anzhané Hutton and Gibson each contributed six rebounds.
SCOUTING ECU
The Pirates are 14-8 overall with a 5-4 mark in league play heading into the game on Saturday. ECU comes into the matchup after a 72-48 loss at South Florida in its most recent outing on Tuesday, Jan. 31.
Danae McNeal is the lone member of ECU's squad to average double figures with 16.1 points per game. Amiya Joyner leads the team in rebounds per game (7.9) and blocks (27). McNeal also leads the team in steals (65) and free-throw percentage (.850) going 68 for 80 from the line.
Saturday marks the 27th overall matchup between the Knights and Pirates. ECU holds a 14-12 advantage in the all-time series, with the Knights holding an 8-5 advantage in Orlando.
LAST TIME VERSUS ECU
UCF came out with a dominant defensive performance in the last meeting against ECU on Jan. 8th,2022, as the Knights were able to rebound from a slow start in the 52-43 win over ECU.
Destiny Thomas pulled down 11 rebounds adding in two steals.
CRASHING THE BOARDS
The Black and Gold are ranked in the top 50 in three statistical categories including No. 6 in offensive rebounds per game with 16.7 and 11th in rebounds per game (43.68). UCF leads the AAC in both categories. The Knights are ranked 43rd in free throw attempts per game with 20.47.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE DESTINY
Individually, Thomas is third in the nation for offensive rebounds per game (5.1) and 17th in rebounds per game (10.6). Thomas has recorded nine double-doubles this season and ranks 31st 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 third in the conference with 13.95 free-throws made per game. UCF is third in the conference for free throw attempts per game with 20.47.
Jewett leads the Black and Gold with an .810 free-throw percentage (34-42). Jewett has been perfect from the free-throw line in four games this season.
JEWETT'S GEM
Jewett recorded a career-high 34 points in UCF's 79-74 double overtime victory against Samford in on Nov. 26. Jewett's 34 points came via 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 the most points by any player in the AAC this season.
60 = MAGIC NUMBER
The Black and Gold are 7-0 when limiting their opponent to 60 points or less. UCF led the season off by limiting its first three opponents to 60 points or less. In the most recent win against Wichita State, UCF kept them to 56 points, the lowest against a conference opponent this season.
OFF THE GLASS
Showcased by a season-high 50 rebounds against SEMO (11/27), Elon (12/21) and Texas Southern (12/29), the Knights have outrebounded their opponent by more than 80 total boards. UCF is 9-4 when they outrebound its opponent. Prior to starting AAC play, the Knights were 9-0 this season when they outrebounded their opponent.
STEALIN' AND DEALIN'
Sierra Godbolt leads the Knights in both steals (35) and assists (59). Godbolt, freshman, is making her mark in the AAC rankings standing at No. 7 in assist/turnover ratio (1.26) and No. 9 in steals per game (35).
