Knights Fend off the Dolphins, Win 63-54
ORLANDO - It was not an ideal game against Jacksonville, but the UCF Basketball team found a way to win. There were moments of serious concern, as the Knights looked out of whack offensively. That continued until late in the game, but UCF did find a way to win.
Starting Lineup
While Jacksonville did a nice job of shooting early on, the Knights starting five did not flinch.
Keys to the Game
Going into tonight’s game, the preview article defined passing and defense as the keys.
First Half Statistics of Note
UCF - 12/29 overall, 3/15 from three, and 2/2 from the free throw line.
Jacksonville - 12/22 overall, 4/9 from three, and no free throws attempted.
Both teams committed just four turnovers, while the Knights blocked two shots compared to Jacksonville not blocking any shots during the first stanza.
Key Game Statistic
For the game, UCF’s defense created more havoc. Jacksonville turned it over 24 times to UCF’s eight. That plus-16 differential is why the Knights came out victorious. The shooting, however, was not pretty.
Shooting Comparison Was Ugly
One of the areas that hurt UCF would be Jacksonville’s success behind the arc. With 7:33 remaining in the half, Jacksonville led 19-15 due in large part to being 3/7 from three, compared to UCF’s 1/10.
With roughly five minutes remaining in the first half, Jacksonville was 10/18 shooting while UCF was 7/21.
The second half was not much better, but with Brandon Mahan’s back-to-back three point shots that put the Knights up 59-54, the three ball did give UCF a lead it never relinquished.
That large disparity is going to cost UCF if it happens versus better competition. For the game, UCF was 23/54 and Jacksonville was 22/47.
Top Offensive Performer
As expected, Darin Green, Jr. did a really good job of knocking down shots. He knocked down his first three of the game with 18:23 remaining in the first half, and he continued to fire from deep.
For the game, Green finished with 11 points to pace the Knights.
Defensive Stopper
With Cheikh Mbacke Diong patrolling the middle, UCF’s defense is just different. He is capable of blocking shots, but like he did versus Miami and continued to do so against Jacksonville, but he’s also a good on-ball defender and plays the passing lanes.
He can guard 30 feet from the hoop, in a variety of ways. That’s rare for a 6-11 player. Mbacke Diong has a shot to play pro ball for quite some time if he continues his all-around defensive efforts.
For the game, Mbacke Diong had eight points, two rebounds and two blocks, but his presence near and away from the basket really changed the game.
Off the Bench
No doubt that Dre Fuller, Jr. deserves this distinction. He scored five points in less than a minute, cutting the deficit from 26-20 to 26-25, late in the first half. Fuller led the Knights with seven first half points, and he accomplished that with just three minutes of playing time.
Dre Fuller, Jr. took home the "Knightmare of the Game" Award for his overall play
In the second half, Fuller had a huge dunk at the 6:09 mark to cut the deficit to 49-48. Overall, his energy and effort were bright spots for the Knights.
Big Shot
With 4:12 remaining, Darius Perry knocked down his first three of the game. It tied the score at 51.
Best lineup?
Was there one? UCF was never truly in sync this evening. The shooting was too poor for Head Coach Johnny Dawkins to keep a single unit together for very long. After watching the Knights shoot the basketball this evening, nobody should blame Coach Dawkins for his approach either. There just was not any cohesive offensive unit all night long.
Big Late-Game Spurt Propelled Knights
From the 3:33 mark to the 1:21 mark, UCF went on a 10-0 run. That helped UCF take the lead and it changed the momentum as the crowd really got into the contest. UCF added two more points, finishing with a 12-0 run and the victory.
Areas to Improve Upon
During the first five minutes, UCF did not shoot a shot inside the three-point line. Not one. The Knights began the game 1/6 and trailed 6-3 at the first media timeout. This was Jacksonville, a solid team, but nothing like Auburn or Michigan that will be played fairly soon.
Moving forward, the Knights must find a way to get into the lane and create shots without relying on the three ball so often. The first score inside the arc came from Cheikh Mbacke Diong during a fast break.
From UCF’s first 15 shots, nine came from behind the arc, with Green making the lone three ball from those nine. That’s also true for rebounding.
With 15:52 remaining in the game, the Knights were being destroyed on the boards by a count of 19-12. That’s just unacceptable. UCF possessed more talent, more size, more length.
At the end of the game, UCF had been out rebounded 36-22.
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