A back-and-forth Conference-USA thriller ended in heartbreak for the UCF men’s basketball team, as the Knights (14-6, 1-6 C-USA) came up just short against the UAB Blazers, 74-69, and had their losing streak extended to six games at the UCF Arena Saturday night.
Two consecutive cold-blooded three point shots by Dexter Fields and Jamarr Sanders late in regulation stole the lead from the Knights and put the Blazers (15-5, 5-2 C-USA) up for good as they stayed undefeated against UCF in the series history between the two programs.
A breakout game by Michigan State transfer Tom Herzog was overshadowed by the Knights sixth consecutive loss in the conference, after starting the season off with 14 straight wins. Herzog had a season-high 20 points, to go along with eight rebounds and four blocks, but missed a crucial free throw on a three-point play that could have put the Knights with in a point.
“There were a lot of bright spots tonight. Even when you lose, there are some things you can build on. Tom did a great job in the post; we were able to get him the ball and he played with some confidence tonight. We need to continue to make him a focal point, which helps take some pressure off Marcus and Keith,” Coach Donnie Jones said.
Ultimately, UCF was doomed by their perimeter defense, which allowed UAB to shoot 50 percent (10-for-20) from beyond the arc as they couldn’t get the stops they needed when it counted.
“It’s our defense right now. We’re not going to win another game until we pick up our defensive effort. 10-for-20 from the three-point line is just ridiculous. We just got to turn it up,” sophomore Marcus Jordan said.
Jordan, the team’s leading scorer, nailed a pair of free throws that gave the Knights a two point advantage with less than two minutes left in the contest, but they couldn’t contain the lead, as Fields three-pointer one possession later gave the Blazers the go ahead basket.
The Knights were forced to play a variation of lineups with starters A.J. Rompza and Dave Diakite out due to injuries.
After giving up 70 points only once during their 14-game win streak, the Knights, who lead the conference in scoring defense, have now allowed 70 plus points in five out of their last six outings.
In addition to the lights out shooting from beyond the arc, the Blazers shot 49.1 percent from the field in the game. They were led by Fields 19 points, but it was a team effort for UAB as multiple players made big plays and had big baskets down the stretch.
Jamaar Sanders had 18 points, while Ovie Soko posted 13 points and six rebounds and Aaron Johnson had a double-double with 11 points and 11 assists.
Although the Knights came up short, their second half effort was the best since their win over Marshal earlier this month. They shot 52 percent from the field in the concluding half, as well as hitting some clutch free throws, but the defense simply didn’t get the necessary stops.
Jordan contributed with 15 points, five assists and four rebounds and sophomore Keith Clanton added 13 points, seven boards and three steals.
Overall, the Knights shot 48.1 percent from the field, but continued their three-point woes, going 5-for-17 from beyond the arc.
UCF has a tough upcoming stretch as they face two of the league’s best in UTEP and Memphis in the next week, so they will need to get back to practice and work out their issues in order to get back on track.
The Knights will look to rebound when they go on the road to face the Conference-USA leading University of Texas-El Paso Miners on Wednesday at 9 p.m.
“We still got nine games to play. We got to keep building and trying to get better. We’re going to have to figure out that seven-eight man rotation and learn to grind it out. We just have to take it one game at a time,” Jones said.
“We got off to a great start and no we’ve stumbled here. We haven’t been able to get a break, but we need to make a break. But, we still have a lot to play for.”
