Written by Zach Bartkus
ORLANDO, FLA. – The Florida Atlantic Owls (1-0) were in town on Sunday afternoon to try and take down the Knights (1-0). The Owls are coming off a giant 98-52 win in their season opener. Owls Head Coach Dusty May would be looking for his first road win with the Owls. The Knights looked to defend their homecourt and keep the momentum going after their homecoming game win last Tuesday.
The game opened with UCF seemingly dominating the game going up 12-0 within the first 5 minutes. The Knights would ride that wave through the first portion of the half as 12 of the first 26 points for the Knights would come from Junior Guard Aubrey Dawkins. The Knights managed to gain a 20 point lead not but 12 minutes into the game. FAU couldn’t seem to find a way to slow UCF’s offense down until the final minutes of the first half. It took a team defensive effort as the Knights were held to only 9 points in the final 6 minutes of the half. In that time the Owls offense managed 17 points and the lead was down to just 6 points. UCF let eight of those points come off of free throws.
The fouls seemed to be a theme throughout the first half of the game. FAU had 17 team fouls in the first half, letting the Knights into double bonus 10 minutes into the game.
At the beginning of the second half, the teams were trading baskets back and forth. After a 7 point scoring run gained the Owls their first lead of the game, UCF’s Chance McSpadden drilled a three-pointer giving the Knights the lead back and making the score 54-53. After the Owls pulled the game back, UCF pulled away again making their lead 68-58 with 7:29 left in the game. FAU didn’t back down and made the game interesting. They would regain the lead for a second time with three minutes left, going up by just one point, 71-70.
The teams would go back and forth again but UCF’s BJ Taylor would make what would look like the winning shot for UCF putting the Knights up 79-78 with 7 seconds left. The Owls quickly inbounded the ball, Michael Forrest drove down the court, put a 12-foot jump shot up but missed. FAU’s Simeon Lepichev would grab the rebound off the missed shot and put it back in and the Owls then led 80-79 with .8 seconds left. The Knights attempted to hurl the ball down court but nothing would come out of it.
FAU’s Anthony Adger would finish the game with 19 points and 2 rebounds. Xavian Stapleton finished with a double-double scoring 14 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. BJ Taylor of UCF finished the game with 29 points and 2 rebounds, alongside Aubrey Dawkins 16 points, 5 rebounds and an assist.
The Knights fall to 1-1 on the season and look ahead to their next game at Cal State Fullerton in the Myrtle Beach Invitational this Thursday at 1:30.
