How UCF Hoops Turned A Double-Digit Lead Into Third Straight Loss

The UCF Knights had momentum in the second half against the West Virginia Mountaineers on Saturday night.

For the first eight and a half minutes since returning from halftime, with the help of guard Themus Fulks going on a scoring tear, the Knights created the largest lead of the game. And yet, they trailed by seven when the buzzer sounded, making official their third consecutive loss.

Here are three reasons why UCF ended up being ill-equipped to hold onto its lead:

1. Lack of Reinforcements

While injuries are a part of the sport and should not be used as an excuse for poor performance, there is no denying that the absence of certain players can cause changes to how a team operates that could prove disadvantageous.

On Saturday, this came in the form of two players' injuries: forward Jamichael Stillwell and guard Carmelo Pacheco.

Stillwell was ruled a game-time decision 90 minutes before kickoff and ended up not taking the floor due to an ankle injury, according to the FS1 broadcast. His absence affected the Knights down low, sidelining an avenue to score in the paint, secure offensive rebounds and earn second-chance points, statistics they lost against the Mountaineers. In fact, this game was just the fourth time this season they were limited to single-digit second-chance points.

Coach Johnny Dawkins said after the game that Stillwell remains "day-to-day."

As for Pacheco, he was only on the court for 5:13 before being sidelined in the first half for the rest of the game with a concussion, though not before draining the only shot he took: a three-pointer. Pacheco might not be a player who amasses a lot of points, but he does help the Knights get some points off the bench. They ended up losing the bench point battle, 17-13.

2. Playing Through Honor

For most of the game, the Knights put a lid on West Virginia guard Honor Huff, the Mountaineers' leading three-point shooter. However, he ended up coming alive in the game's final 10 minutes in which he scored 16 of his 21 points that led his team. Half of those 16 came from the exclusivly the free-throw line.

West Virginia coach Ross Hodge cited a four-point play from Huff, the spark of his run, as one of the "lot of little plays" in which he saw momentum shift.

"[Huff] puts a lot of pressure on himself, and so to see him come through like he's done so many times for us in a big moment on the road, it was awesome to see," Hodge said.

3. Missed Shots

In the words of forward Jordan Burks, the Knights "didn't sustain the lead at all," and while part of that was the Mountaineers going on a run, it also applies to their own shooting. During the final 12:39 of the game, UCF shot 5-16 from the floor with two separate instances of missing four consecutive shots or more.

In past games this season, the Knights have weathered such droughts to come up with wins, but in the words of Dawkins: "nothing's going to be given to you in this league."

The Knights do not have to wait long for a rebound opportunity as they host TCU at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.

Catch up on more UCF news below:

UCF Alum Hits Court With Celebrities For NBA All-Star Weekend

Two Knights Invited To NFL Scouting Combine

Former Nebraska AD's Book Sheds More Light on Scott Frost-Huskers Saga