UCF loses ground after falling at rival USF
TAMPA — UCF men’s basketball suffered its largest loss of the season, 85-72, to its rival USF at Yuengling Center on Saturday, and its outside NCAA tournament chances took a hit, too.
The Knights had no answer for Bulls guard Tyler Harris, who led all scorers with 33 points while finishing 6 of 14 from 3-point range.
The 85 points are the most the Knights allowed in regulation this season.
“We didn’t defend like we needed to,” UCF coach Johnny Dawkins said after the game. “We can’t give up 85 points. We scored 72 points and in any game, we score that many points we’re in [a] position to win the ballgame.
“We usually give up 59, 60 points.”
The Knights had allowed an average of 57 points in the first four games of AAC play, but in the last three that number jumped to 88.
“We have to be more disciplined defensively,” Dawkins said. “There’s a strategy we have in place that we want to use and our guys need to make sure that we execute it.
“And not only do I look at our guys, but I look at [the coaching staff ] because we’re not getting something through to them,” he added. “We’ve got to do a better job of teaching that.”
UCF trailed by 7 points with 5:32 remaining before the Bulls went on an 8-0 run during the next minute. USF’s lead never dipped to single digits again.
For the Knights, the loss is the team’s second straight and comes at a crucial time. Entering the game, ESPN listed UCF as the fifth team on the outside looking in on the projected bracket for March Madness.
The Bulls relied on the free throw line to stay ahead of the Knights, who only led for 3:49 in the game. USF shot 20 of 22 from the charity stripe (91%), well above their season average of 64%.
Harris was responsible for more than half of the free throws, going 13-for-13 for a USF program record.
The Knights missed starting point guard Darius Johnson, who hasn’t played since Jan. 4 due to a lower leg injury suffered at East Carolina.
With Johnson missing his fourth straight game, Jayhlon Young started again but dealt with early foul trouble.
Young (3 points) picked up 2 fouls in the first half and didn’t return until 10:28 of the second half.
Dawkins said Young sitting that long had more to do with the performance of UCF’s lineup during that stretch.
While Young sat, CJ Kelly, who scored a team-high 18 points off the bench, ran the offense. The Knights cut the deficit to 3 points with 13:32 left but the Bulls continued to respond.
“We made some plays to make the game close at different times, but every time we did they made another run or a big play,” Dawkins said. “When it seemed like that extra play was made, they happened to be on the positive end multiple times.”
The Knights also were without Michael Durr, who Dawkins said on Jan. 11 is expected to miss multiple weeks with a left-hand injury.
While Durr watched UCF take on his former team, Lahat Thioune earned the start as the Knights’ depth at center struggled in the paint.
USF center Russel Tchewa grabbed 12 boards as the Bulls outrebounded them 41-30. Fifteen of their rebounds were offensive, which led to second chances for USF.
Thioune (2 points) picked up his fourth foul in the second half, forcing UCF to rotate freshmen forwards Taylor Hendricks (12 points, 3 blocks) and Thierno Sylla at center.
Dawkins, however, didn’t want to make excuses.
“We know we’re down players and we have to do the best with the group we have out there,” he said. “We definitely missed those guys that are out but the guys are getting healthier.
“It’s just a function of time and we have to keep on pushing until those guys get back.”