(Photo by Victor Tan / New Day Review)
ORLANDO, Fla. – Despite an injury-laden start, the UCF Knights have still won more than they’ve lost. Even without last season’s leading scorer B.J. Taylor, the Knights (5-3) managed a 65-62 win over the then-No. 24 Alabama Crimson Tide on Dec. 3, UCF’s second ranked opponent of the 2017-18 season. That’s provided the team with a mental boost entering a two-game home stand.
“Well I think [the win over Alabama] does help our team’s psyche,” second-year Knights head coach Johnny Dawkins said after practice Friday. “You know, to get a win on the road against a, you know, top-25 program team was good for our group, and I think we’ll build on that from a standpoint [that] these guys are still in the learning phase.
“We still have a lot to do with this group with regards to their experiences on the floor. But a win like that when we had to really come together and, you know, in that type of environment, you know, always helps you grow.”
Dawkins’ group earned a resounding win over the Crimson Tide, locking down one of the country’s best scorers in Collin Sexton. The first-year ‘Bama guard entered the UCF game averaging 24.7 points per game and was limited to just 7 points and no field goals. Locking up Sexton was a responsibility Dawkins issued to one of his leaders, redshirt senior A.J. Davis.
“I thought our guys did a great job of identifying where Collin was at all times,” Dawkins said. “I really felt A.J. took the assignment, you know, personally, where he knew the young man was very talented. I challenged A.J. For us to have a chance, he’s gonna have to do a great job on Sexton, and he did that. But it was a team effort. You know, it was A.J.’s primary assignment, and I’m just really proud of his effort.”
UCF lost its last two games to St. John’s University and the Missouri Tigers by three points each. Starting point guard Terrell Allen remembered those losses and used those experiences to help get UCF’s first win over a ranked team this season.
“I think the two games before that, we lost by three points,” Allen said after practice Friday. “So we’ve been in those situations before…so, this time, Coach Dawkins preached to us what we needed to do…so we got it together and got that win.”
The Knights’ past two games haven’t only been momentous for the team, as UCF rose two games above .500 with the win over Alabama. Over these past two games, senior Djordjije Mumin has earned the first two starts of his career. Against ‘Bama, Mumin scored a career-high 11 points in a career-high 28 minutes on 4-for-5 shooting, including 3-for-4 from 3-point range.
In addition to confidence from his teammates—Allen said Mumin is UCF’s best 3-point shooter—the Montenegro native isn’t lacking any confidence in himself. That derives from his work in the offseason that has prepared him for these opportunities Dawkins has afforded him.
“It feels good. I was just prepared. I got an opportunity, and I was ready for that,” Mumin said after practice Friday. “And I give credit to my teammates that found me open and just stayed together, and we won together… Been waiting for this opportunity for almost four years. I’m ready for it.”
Said Dawkins on starting Mumin in the past two games: “We have a lot of season to play, but [Mumin] has really stepped up for us, and I’m really proud of him. You know, I’ve always talked to our team—and I’ve talked to him specifically—about being, you know, ready for your opportunities. I said, you know, ‘Opportunities come around every season for guys, and most guys aren’t ready for that.’ And I said, ‘So make sure you stay ready.’ And I’m just proud that he has been. That shows a great focus and a great commitment to the program, and I’m really happy for him.”
Dawkins, Allen, Mumin and the rest of the Knights return to the hardwood in CFE Arena on Saturday at 1 p.m. to host Southern University (2-6). The Jaguars are coming off a loss to the American Athletic Conference’s Tulane Green Wave on Dec. 6.
For more on the Knights, as they prepare for an upcoming two-game home stand, follow Victor Tan on Twitter at @NDR_VictorTan.
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