UCF (16-6, 6-2) defeated SMU (18-5, 7-1) 58-60 in a high intensity thriller Wednesday night, handing the Golden Eagles their first loss in C-USA play. Tristan Spurlock led the Knights with 18 points, and Keith Clanton moved into a shared spot on top of UCF’s all-time rebounding list with 9 boards.
Momentum played a huge factor in this game, as the Knights were able to rise up from under an initial 6 point disadvantage and keep the red-hot eagles close. The lead changed nine times, as both teams battled intensely down to the final seconds. Coach Jones had no disillusions coming into the game, stating that “I knew it was going to be a grind out game, I say it all the time. It’s going to come down to those last two or three minutes.”
With 4 seconds left and a new two point lead to defend, Keith Clanton came up with a booming block to deny a Southern Miss three-point attempt. “I just tried to read the play. I saw I had to make a play on the ball, and I just ran as i hard as i could,” Clanton said afterwards.
Coach Jones had nothing but high praise for Isaiah Sykes after the game, evaluating that “He’s come along way. He played 40 minutes; he was all over the floor. He just impacts the game. It’s hard to draw things up in the huddle, or teach guys how to play that way, he’s just got that special grit.” It was Sykes who gave UCF the deciding lead, nailing down two clutch free throws after missing his first four attempts in the game.
The Golden Eagles played extremely aggressive, setting UCF up for 14 free throw attempts in the first half alone, and 28 on the game while only taking 15 attempts of their own from the line. Jones credited his players, saying that “We really battled. When you play Southern Miss, you’re going to have to play ugly… They’re undersized, they’re tough.. and they’re very physical.”
Unfortunately the Knights were only able to turn 16 of those 28 attempts into points, giving away what could have been a major advantage, keeping the game as close as it was. However, tough defense and a refusal to quit in a fast, physical game in front of the home crowd carried UCF to their sixth conference win this season.
This was a huge win for UCF, as Southern Miss is one of two teams ahead of the Knights in the standings. Knocking the undefeated Eagles from their perch is a confidence booster that should pick the team up after a disappointing loss to Marshall on Saturday and carry well into this weekend’s matchup.
UCF will play this Saturday night in the UCF Arena at 4 P.M. against an East Carolina team that has gone 4-4 within the conference.
