HOW IT HAPPENED
The Knights fell into an early hole as their offense was stagnant through the early stages, with only three free throws to show for at the seven-minute mark. Eventually, it was the defense that turned into points, consistently forcing Hornet turnovers, which in turn gave the Black and Gold their first lead of the game at the first media timeout.
Five straight points from Mahogany Chandler Roberts set the tone for the UCF paint presence once again. Delaware State persisted, shooting an efficient 5-9 from the field, albeit with the seven turnovers, which kept the Knights’ advantage at three after the first 10 minutes.
Just four UCF points highlighted another sluggish start to the second quarter, as each team connected a combined 1-8 attempts from the field. While the shots weren't falling for the Knights, their aggressive approach sustained a consistent residence at the charity strip, downing 12-15 attempts through 15 minutes of action.
Looking to bounce back after allowing a season-high 70 points to Stetson on Wednesday, the Black and Gold defense held the Hornets scoreless for over four minutes down the stretch to open a double-digit lead. A balanced scoresheet saw nine Knights telly points, the most in a first half this season, as a 12-2 run to close the opening 20 minutes garnered UCF a 32-16 advantage heading into the break.
A back-and-forth commencement to the second half saw both sides establish themselves, especially below the net. Jacorriah Bracey’s smooth finishes in the paint were mirrored by Leah Harmon, who stayed determined despite a slow first half, scoring six points before the second media timeout to propel the UCF lead to 23 at the end of the third.
With the comfortable advantage, the Knights were able to empty one of the Big 12’s best benches, as all 14 saw the floor. Harmon, Savannah Scott, Khyala Ngodu, and Summer Yancy all reach double digits, with 11 Knights overall finding points to maintain the lead en route to the 74-46 win.
UP NEXT
UCF will conclude non-conference play next Sunday, welcoming Morgan State to Addition Financial Arena for a 2 p.m. tipoff.
