Jan. 23, 2008
Final Stats
UTEP-UCF Box Score (PDF)
UCF made nine of its first 10 shots - including seven straight to open the game -- on the way to a 109-80 win over UTEP on Wednesday in Orlando.
"We had three of our best practices all year in Orlando, with tremendous intensity and focus," UTEP coach Tony Barbee said. "It's hard to explain how we practice so hard and come out with that lack of fight. I apologize to UTEP fans. It's embarrassing, and it won't happen again."
The Knights (11-7, 4-0 C-USA) shot 67.7 percent in the first half, 73.1 percent in the second half and 70.2 percent on the night to remain perfect in league play. UCF cruised to a 56-31 lead at the intermission despite having its leading scorer, Jermaine Taylor, on the floor for only seven minutes due to foul trouble.
Taylor, averaging 20.7 points on the season and 24.3 in conference action coming into the game, finished with 24 points, but only seven in the first half. He received plenty of support from Mike O'Donnell and Dave Noel, who tallied 19 and 17 points respectively. Noel and O'Donnell combined for 32 points in the first half, nine more than their season average entering the game.
Tony Davis added 16 points and Chip Cartwright 13 for UCF.
After Tavaris Watts hit two free throws 30 seconds into the game to tie the game at 2, UCF went on a 10-0 run. The Knights led 24-8 with 13:47 to go in the first half. With 4:01 left before the break, O'Donnell banked in a three pointer to extend UCF's lead to 47-25.
"Defensively, we guarded for about the first 20 seconds and after that we broke down," Barbee said. "They made every open shot and finished plays around the rim."
After UTEP (11-6, 2-2 C-USA) whittled the lead down to 20 points (74-54) midway through the second half, UCF put the game away with a 7-0 spurt.
O'Donnell was 6-for-6 from three-point range. Two years ago, he was 6-for-6 from outside in the Knights' 66-55 victory over UTEP in Orlando. That game was played in UCF's old arena.
Stefon Jackson led UTEP with 17 points. Marvin Kilgore and Randy Culpepper added 12 points each. The Miners shot 43.9 percent and were outrebounded 32-28.
The 109 points marked the third-most allowed by UTEP in a game in school history, and the most surrendered since Jan. 9, 1961, a 119-103 setback at Arizona State.
"You're not always going to make shots," Barbee said. "But to not play well defensively shows a lack of pride, effort and fight. We didn't compete tonight, and that's on me."
The Miners will return home for back-to-back home games against Tulsa (Saturday) and Southern Miss (Wednesday). Tip-off for Saturday's game is 7:35 p.m. MST as part of a double-header with the UTEP women's team. The Miner women will take on Tulane at 4:35 p.m.
