UCF returns home after an eventful, but ultimately unsuccessful, trip to White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.
The Knights (4-2) look to end a two-game skid on Wednesday night when they host Horizon League preseason co-favorite University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (5-2). The two schools will be meeting for the first time since the 1990-91 season.
UCF dropped a pair of Mountain Division contests at the inaugural Greenbrier Tip-Off, including Sunday’s 109-102 triple-overtime loss to LSU in the third-place game. It was UCF’s first triple-overtime game in nearly a decade. It marked the sixth triple-overtime contest in UCF history, and the first since 2015 when the Knights beat Tulane 103-100.
The Knights led by as many as 18 points in the second half before LSU rallied and eventually outscored them in the third OT.
Senior guard Darius Johnson and transfers Keyshawn Hall and Jordan Ivy-Curry continue to pace a balanced UCF offense. However, the Knights entered Tuesday ranked in a tie for 329th in the NCAA in scoring defense (81.2 points per game).
“We learned (at the Greenbrier event) that we can be pretty good. But we have to do some things right on the court, offensively and defensively, to get that done,” head coach Johnny Dawkins said.
Milwaukee visits Addition Financial Arena in Orlando riding a four-game win streak.
“UCF’s really talented.” Panthers head coach Bart Lundy said. “They’ve been up and down; I think they’re still figuring themselves out. I know (head coach) Buzz (Williams) took his (Texas) A&M team in there and lost, so if you can beat a Buzz team, you got a little toughness about you.”
The Panthers swept the Cream City Challenge with three victories in as many days at UWM Panther Arena. A 69-65 win over St. Thomas (Minn.) on Sunday completed the run as Jamichael Stillwell scored a career-high 22 points.
For his efforts over a four-game stretch, Louisiana-Lafayette transfer Themus Fulks earned Horizon League Player of the Week honors. Fulks shot 59 percent (23 of 39) from the floor last week while posting a combined 22 assists and eight steals against Duquesne, Portland State, Wofford and St. Thomas.
–Field Level Media
