ORLANDO - In its first December contest, the UCF women’s basketball fell short in Wednesday night's matchup against Stetson, 70-67, at Addition Financial Arena.
A difficult second half left the Knights battling with the Hatters in the final minutes of the contest. Holding the Hatters to under 40% in FG percentage in the first half allowed the Knights to go into the half up six.
Stetson fought back in the second half, taking the lead late in the fourth and knocking down free throws to finish this intense duel. Two Knights took home new season highs in points and assists, while Leah Harmon paced the Knights in scoring for the sixth game this season.
QUICK HITS
- Jasmynne Gibson set a new season high of 12 points, going 5-9 from the field and doubling her previous season record of six points
- Summer Yancy broke her career high assists with five, also adding nine points and six rebounds to the Knights
- The Knights forced the Hatters' starting five to put up 69 of their 70 points, only allowing one point to come from the bench, breaking their season record.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Against one of the nation’s prominent three-point shooting teams, the Knights limited Stetson’s opportunities from beyond the arc in the opening minutes. UCF established an early presence in the paint, with its first four field goals coming at the basket; however, the Hatters also found opportunities down low to keep pace with the Black and Gold.
It was only a matter of time before the visitors found space to shoot, connecting on a pair to open up an 18-13 lead going into the first media timeout. Out of the break, the Knights’ defense held it down, giving room for the offense to score the final four points of the opening period, leaving just a one-point deficit.
Both teams endured a dry spell to open action in the second, going a combined 3-11 from the field. Having gotten good looks in the previous quarter, Samari Bankhead sank a three-point attempt to put the Knights within striking distance. The tides continued to shift after Summer Yancy forced a Stetson turnover before finding a streaking Jasmynne Gibson for a fast break layup to secure their second lead of the contest.
Gibson’s physicality continued to be a focal point for the Black and Gold, as after a tough layup at the rim, she reeled in a layup before yet another basket in the paint, drawing a foul in the process. Her offensive skillset complemented her ability to cause trouble for Stetson on its end, forcing multiple turnovers below the basket.
Seven Hatters turnovers in the final six minutes emphasized UCF’s grit down the stretch, turning the opportunities into baskets to take a commanding 35-29 lead into halftime. Five Knights tallied multiple field goals in a balanced attacking effort, with 20 points coming in the paint.
The Black and Gold showed no signs of slowing down, commencing second-half action similarly to their torrid conclusion to the first, especially on the defensive end. Stetson shot two for its first six from the field, while the Knights connected on seven of 10 attempts before the media timeout. Harmon stayed perfect from beyond the arc with her third three-pointer of the night to push the UCF lead to double digits.
Two easy layups in the dying minutes of the third cut the Knights’ lead to six, a momentum shift that continued in the fourth quarter for the visitors. Cameron Thomas’ fourth three and 30th point of the night coincided with an over two-minute scoring drought, leading to UCF’s lead to be cut down to just three.
With just under four minutes left on the clock, the Hatters pulled off an 8-0 run, going six of six from the charity stripe, securing both the lead and eventually the game, 70-67.
UP NEXT
UCF will take on Delaware State in its second to last non-conference game of the season at Addition Financial Arena on Sunday, December 7, at 1 p.m.
SINGLE GAME AND SEASON TICKETS ON SALE NOW
UCF women's basketball single-match and season tickets are on sale now. Be sure to catch all the action at Addition Financial Arena. Tickets can be purchased online at ucfknights.com/tickets or by calling the ticket office at (407) 823-1000.
ABOUT UCF ATHLETICS
UCF is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference. Our mission is to positively transform the lives of our students academically, athletically, and personally through a nationally competitive intercollegiate athletics program that enhances the reputation and visibility of the University. We strive to be Florida's preeminent athletic program, representing UCF and our community with distinction on the national stage as "Orlando's Hometown Team". To learn more about UCF and Athletics, please visit our websites at www.ucf.edu and www.ucfknights.com.