Knights Clipped by Red Raiders' Late Surge at United Supermarkets Arena
In a closely contested battle at the United Supermarkets Arena, the University of Central Florida Knights faced off against the Texas Tech Red Raiders. The Knights, unranked this season, put up a valiant effort but ultimately fell short with a final score of 66-59. The Red Raiders, ranked 23rd nationally, improved their record to an impressive 17-5 while the Knights now stand at 12-10.
The game was marked by intense defensive efforts from both sides. The UCF Knights showcased their resilience on defense with two blocks and five steals. However, they struggled to maintain possession at times which is reflected in their eight turnovers. Despite these challenges, UCF managed to score eight fast break points and capitalized on turnovers with another eight points.
Offensively, UCF's performance inside was notable as they scored 30 points in the paint and secured 15 second-chance points thanks to their offensive rebounding efforts which resulted in twelve additional opportunities. Their shooting from beyond the arc was less effective; they made only five out of twenty-four three-point attempts for a three-point percentage of just twenty-one percent.
The team's free throw shooting hovered around average as they made eight out of twelve attempts for a sixty-seven percent completion rate. From two-point range, UCF fared better with an eighteen out of thirty-nine success rate translating into forty-six percent efficiency.
One standout statistic for UCF was their total rebound count where they grabbed thirty-seven rebounds – twelve offensive and twenty-four defensive ones – demonstrating tenacity on both ends of the court.
On Texas Tech's side, despite committing more turnovers than UCF (ten), they were able to edge out in assists with fourteen compared to eleven from UCF which indicates better ball movement leading to scoring opportunities. They also had slightly higher field goal percentage overall (thirty-eight percent) and excelled particularly at free throws where they achieved an eighty-seven percent success rate that proved crucial down the stretch.
As fans look ahead after this tough loss on the road, attention turns towards future matchups for redemption and improvement. The next challenge for the University of Central Florida Knights will be against BYU Cougars at Marriott Center in Provo on February 13th scheduled for a 9:00 PM tip-off Eastern Time. Fans can catch all action live via ESPN+ internet broadcast network as UCF seeks to bounce back from this setback.