After securing the fourth seed and a first-round bye in the Conference-USA Tournament, the UCF men’s basketball team will return to action Thursday night to face UAB in the quarterfinals of the league tournament.
UCF finished the season 21-9, the program’s third-highest win total since joining C-USA, as well as 10-6 in league play, which was its second-best conference finish in school history.
The Knights will face UAB for the third time this season after the fifth-seeded Blazers were able to knock out Tulane in the opening round of the tournament last night, 72-64, at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tenn.
UCF swept the season series with UAB, including last Saturday’s regular-season finale win that wrapped up the fourth seed for the Knights. UCF was also victorious on UAB’s home floor back in January, giving the Knights their first two victories over the Blazers in program history, after failing to beat them in the squad’s first seven meetings.
Junior Keith Clanton, who was recently named to the C-USA All-First Team and All-Defensive Team, led the Knights on both occasions, averaging 16 points per game against the Blazers.
The Knights will be seeking a third straight victory over the Blazers, as well as looking to advance past the conference quarterfinals for the first time.
“A lot of people talk about that (the challenges of beating a team three straight times). We played East Carolina last year and lost three times. I think it’s all in preparation, how guys compete,” Coach Donnie Jones said. “I think kids are all trying to win and and advance. So, I don’t think we’re getting caught up in that. Hopefully, your guys are mature enough to understand that the game is important regardless of win or loss, you can throw it all out- it’s a new season.”
Although the Knights are a bubble team for an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament, UCF can secure an automatic spot by winning the C-USA championship. With the Knights first round bye, they will only have to play three games in three days as opposed to four games in four days.
“I feel like it’s a big opportunity for us. We still have a chance to make the NCAA Tournament if we can win this Conference-USA championship. I think that’s everyone’s goal going into it, and one team has to come out the winner,” Clanton said.
UCF can showcase its growth from a year ago when they were bounced out of the league tournament in the first round by East Carolina. This season, the Knights are deeper, more talented and much more mature, which is something they hope to display in the tournament.
“We have been together a little longer. Sophomores are juniors, freshman are sophomores. I think they’ve been in the system. I think throughout the year, we’ve showed that we’ve bounced back from some looses and came back with some wins…Hopefully what we’ve been through mentally, we understand what’s ahead for us here,” Jones said.
In addition to Clanton’s presence, the Knights will need their supporting cast to step up big if their going to advance past the quarterfinals.
Marcus Jordan and Isaiah Sykes, who were No. 2 and No. 3 in scoring for the Knights this season, respectively, will need to have big games. Jordan, who broke out of his recent scoring slump with 16 points against UAB, averaged 14.2 points per game this season.
Sykes, who averaged 12.6 points per contest, was one of the most improved players in the nation this year. He developed into one of the Knights most reliable players with his do-all work ethic. He did all the dirty work, including rebounding, defense and hustle plays. His three offensive rebounds per game were good enough for fifth in the conference.
As far as the Blazers are concerned, the Knights will be looking to contain Cameron Moore, who finished No. 3 in the league in scoring at 16.2 points per game. The Knights limited Moore to 13 points in the season finale last Saturday. However, Moore bounced back strong with a 22-point, 14-rebound effort in the Blazers win over the Green Wave last night.
The Knights won six out of their last nine games to finish the season and will to continue that momentum into the tournament.
UCF fought through so much adversity this season, from losing Dwight McCombs and Jeff Jordan, to the 12-game suspension of A.J. Rompza. It would only seem fitting that they would use those experiences to prevail in the league tournament and make it to the Big Dance.
“I feel like we’ve been through a lot of adversity, and that’s the biggest thing going into this conference tournament. So I feel like we had our ups and downs throughout the whole season,” Clanton said. “I feel like we’re gonna come in to play and try to win.”
The Knights will tipoff at 10 p.m. at the FedEx Forum.
