Tulsa Hoops Falls to UCF 65-58

Saturday, February 6

Reynolds Center

5:00 PM

Tulsa

9-8,6-6AAC

UCF

5-9,3-8AAC

UCF

Tulsa

Photo by: Campbell Rogerson

Tulsa Hoops Falls to UCF 65-58

2/6/2021 8:14:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

GAME STATS I SEASON STATS

TULSA, Okla. –– For a second straight game Tulsa's comeback bid fell short as the UCF Knights captured a 65-58 victory Saturday afternoon at the Donald W. Reynolds Center.
Tulsa used a 17-3 run to get the game to within one point after trailing by as many as 16 second-half points.

Seniors Elijah Joiner and Darien Jackson led Tulsa with 14 and 12 points, respectively, while Keyshawn Embery-Simpson added 10 points. Tulsa ended the game shooting just 36 percent from the field and 3-point range, while the Knights knocked down 45 percent from the field and 53 percent from behind the arc.

UCF's 13 treys tied an opponent game high this year that earlier was set by Houston.

The win for the Knights was their first victory in 12 games in the city of Tulsa and the first time in nine games at the Reynolds Center.

"We're not a confident bunch right now. We're really struggling with our confidence. I thought we had some really unforced turnovers that hurt us," said Tulsa's Frank Haith. "I thought UCF was too comfortable early making some 3s and that's what happens. You get some confidence and you're going to end up making some tough ones. We didn't defend the 3-point line very well."

The Knights expanded its 9-point halftime lead to 16, making the score 50-34 with 14:04 remaining in the second half. Brandon Rachal's traditional 3-point play made the score 54-42 at the 10:45 mark to begin Tulsa's comeback push.

In its 17-3 run, five players for the Hurricane scored during that stretch to get within one point. The second of two consecutive Jackson layups during a 35-second stretch made the score 57-56. After a UCF timeout, the Knights scored the next 8 points to make it 65-56 with less than 0:20 remaining on the clock.

UCF began the game on a 9-0 run on three made 3-pointers before Tulsa hit two treys of their own to make the score 9-6. The Knights maintained a lead throughout the first 20 minutes, leading by as many as 9 points two more times and as few as one.

Tulsa cut its deficit to one point, 23-22, on a Darien Jackson basket with 3:44 left in the first half. The Knights finished out the first 20 minutes on an 11-3 run to take a 34-25 halftime lead.

In the first half, UCF shot 45-percent from the field and 53-percent from behind the arc, while Tulsa's percentages were 36 from both the field and 3-point range. UCF's Darius Perry had 14 first-half points and Joiner led Tulsa with 8 points.

Tulsa continues its home-stand for the month of February against Tulane this Wednesday, Feb. 10, at 4 p.m.