Central Florida @ Tulsa preview
Donald W. Reynolds Center
Last Meeting ( Feb 29, 2020 ) Central Florida 54, Tulsa 65
UCF is looking to fare much better in its second makeup game of the week than it did in the first.
After traveling to Memphis for American Athletic Conference games Monday and Wednesday -- the first one a makeup from last month -- the Knights (4-9, 2-8 AAC) head to Tulsa for another rescheduled game, facing off against the Golden Hurricane on Saturday.
It has been a rough time for UCF coach Johnny Dawkins and his squad.
Saturday's game against Tulsa was originally slated for Jan. 9, before the Knights ran into COVID-19 troubles and contact tracing, pushing the game back a month.
Following Monday's 27-point loss at Memphis, UCF met the Tigers again Wednesday in a regularly scheduled game. After trailing early by 14 points the Knights got within four in the second half before falling 75-61. Dawkins said the loss was an improvement over Monday's blowout.
"Our mindset was better -- we understood their press better after playing Monday," Dawkins said. "The turnaround from Monday to (Wednesday) was much better.
"I liked the energy we played with. If we had made some shots, it would have been an even better ballgame."
Darius Perry had 18 points, while C.J. Walker and Darin Green Jr. added 15 and 13, respectively. They each were 6-for-9 shooting from the field.
Tulsa (9-7, 6-5) has dropped three of its last four, but Wednesday's 65-63 home defeat to SMU was a heartbreaker.
Down 64-52 with 3:25 left, the Hurricane strung together a spirited, 10-1 run to pull within three. With one second remaining, Austin Richie was fouled on a 3-point attempt but made just one of three free throws, and the Mustangs grabbed the rebound to notch the win.
"We dug ourselves too big a hole," Tulsa coach Frank Haith said. "But we competed, got back in the game. We missed too many bunnies in the first half and in the second half, too. We missed a lot of layups."
Curtis Haywood II tied his career-high with 18 points, Brandon Rachal had 15 and Elijah Joiner added 10.
The conference announced Monday that Tulsa's Rey Idowu was named to the AAC Honor Roll after averaging 18 points, six rebounds and two assists in last week's games against Temple and East Carolina.
--Field Level Media