TAMPA, FEB. 27, 2019 –
Justin Brown scored 15 points and hit three 3-pointers in a 75-63 setback against UCF Wednesday evening at a packed Yuengling Center that drew its largest crowd since 2012 with 7,231 fans filling the arena.
David Collins (Youngstown, Ohio) and
Antun Maricevic (Zagreb, Croatia) each added 10 points for a USF team (18-10, 7-8) that is one win shy of tying a school record for the most home wins in a season.
Tacko Fall led UCF with 18 points and five rebounds, and B.J. Taylor added 15 points and five assists. Aubrey Dawkins chipped in with 14 points and Dayon Griffin finished with 12 points off the bench.
USF went on a 7-0 run late in the first half to turn a five-point deficit into a two-point advantage. Five points during the surge came from Brown, sandwiched around a three-pointer by Maricevic, as USF ahead, 28-26, with 4:37 before halftime. A layup from Taylor just before the halftime horn put the Knights ahead, 36-33, at the break.
UCF (21-6, 11-4) used a 14-3 run to begin the second half, capped on a dunk by Chad Brown, to build a 50-36 lead just over six minutes into play. A three-pointer from Collins midway through the half trimmed the lead to 10, but the Knights used free throws on their next two possessions to go ahead, 60-47.
USF got as close as eight points on a three-pointer from Brown with 3:52 remaining for its smallest deficit since the 17:06 mark of the half. UCF answered with two free throws from Taylor and a jumper by Dawkins to extend its lead back to 12 at 67-55.
The Knights would go on to lead by as many as 15 before Brown's third 3-pointer just before the final buzzer gave UCF its final margin of victory.
Quotable
Head coach Brian Gregory on the game:
"Central Florida is a very good basketball team that is also very balanced. They are very experienced and they know exactly what they need to get done. I thought we played well in the first half, not as good defensively as I would have liked, but at the same time really executed some really good stuff offensively. We weren't as good defensively in the second half and they responded. When you play a team that is very good, you have to make open shots. A lot of credit goes to them, but we missed some pretty good looks too."
Key Stats
38 – UCF scored 38 points in the paint and limited USF to only 20.
24.0 – USF made only six 3-pointers and shot 24.0 percent from beyond the arc.
Notable
- USF is 11 free throw attempts away from setting a new school record with 797.
- USF made six 3-pointers and has made the fourth-most in a single season in school history.
- USF is one home win away from tying the school record for home wins in a season.
Up Next
The Bulls continue league play Sunday at noon when the Bulls travel to UConn for a matchup televised by CBS Sports Network.
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About USF Men's Basketball
The USF men's basketball team is led by head coach Brian Gregory. On March 22, 2017, Gregory was introduced as the 10th head coach in program history. He previously led programs at Georgia Tech (2011-16) and Dayton (2003-11). Gregory spent nearly a decade as an assistant coach under Michigan State's Hall of Fame head coach Tom Izzo and helped the Spartans win the 2000 NCAA National Championship. Gregory brings nearly 250 career head coaching wins and six postseason appearances, including the 2010 NIT Championship, to Tampa. In his first season at the helm of the Bulls, Gregory led the team to its first 10-plus win season since 2013-14.
USF has retired three numbers in its 47-year history: Chucky Atkins (12), Charlie Bradley (30) and Radenko Dobras (31). The Bulls have earned three NCAA tournament bids and appeared in the NIT eight times.
For tickets, contact the USF Ticket Office at 1-800-Go-Bulls or by going online to USFBullsTix.com.
