It’s about more than bragging rights now
UCF BASKETBALL
The Knights know how important it will be to value the ball and make the extra pass Thursday.
“As long as we move the ball like that, then we can compete with any team in the country,” junior forward Collin Smith said.
If March 8 was the high point for UCF’s offense, Feb. 1 was undoubtedly the low point — head coach Johnny Dawkins said so himself that day following his team’s 64-48 road loss to the Bulls. It was an afternoon that saw the Knights miss 20 of 22 3-point shots and trail by double digits for 28 minutes.
“We didn’t play our best basketball game, but give [the Bulls] credit for that,” Dawkins said of the previous meeting. “They made us not play a good game. We have to bounce back, learn the lessons from that game, go out there and perform better.”
Smith was a little more pointed with his comments when asked about seeing the Bulls again: “We owe these guys because they beat us last time, so I’m just happy to get at it again.”
Turnovers will be key for UCF, which committed 33 in its two games against USF. Rideau, the AAC’s Defensive Player of the Year last season, had six steals during the February loss.
“That’s the way they play — they are aggressive, they get after it,” Dawkins said. “We have to do a better job of taking care of the basketball, for sure.”
Both sides have been bombarded this week with questions about the rivalry and if it will add another layer to an already-tense environment when seasons and careers are on the line. Smith said this particular matchup “brings more intensity” to the game, and Gregory admitted there will be “a little added edge” displayed by each team.
But once the ball is thrown into the air Thursday, bragging rights will pale in comparison to simply surviving and advancing.
“It’s do-or-die now for everybody,” Dawkins said. “You have a one-game situation, and I think our guys want to play. … We have to find ways to try to win games and continue [playing].”