The Knights stay undefeated in conference play as they took down UConn 65-53 on the road. This was UCF’s first win in the XL Center and their 2nd consecutive win against the Huskies dating back to last season. The Knights were previously 1-11 against UConn with their only win coming in the 2011 upset when the Huskies were ranked #4.

Highlights

Three in the Key

1. Knight of the Night

Dawkins lead the Knights in scoring with 23 points, his new season high. He was 9 for 13 from the floor and played 38 minutes as he was really one of the only Knights having offensive success. In a night where B.J. Taylor did not have had his best game, it’s comforting to see there are multiple players who can step up and take the lead for this UCF squad.

2. 6th Man of the Game

Senior guard Dayon Griffin has seen a significant decrease in playing time this season. The Louisiana Tech transfer averaged 27.4 minutes per game last season for UCF but has seen just 13 minutes per game in 9 out of 14 games so far this season. He made the most of his opportunity against UConn, seeing 20 minutes of action while going 3 for 3 for 9 points.

3. By the Numbers

UConn as a team is averaging 79 points per game while shooting 46.1%. The Knights held them to just 53 points and 32.2%, both season lows for the Huskies. UCF hasn’t been as dominant on defense as they were in previous seasons, but this was a textbook display of how stout they can be even against the best offenses.

Who’s Got Next?

East Carolina comes to Orlando Sunday, January 13th to take on the Knights. The game will tip off at 4:00pm inside CFE Arena and will be broadcasted on ESPNU.