Women's Basketball Plays at UCF on Saturday

Saturday, February 23

Orlando, Fla.

2:00 PM

Temple University

UCF

Photo by: Zamani Feelings

Women's Basketball Plays at UCF on Saturday

2.22.19 | Women's Basketball

Live Stats Watch Live Game Notes (PDF)

PHILADELPHIA -- The Temple women's basketball team finishes up a two game road stretch at second place UCF on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.

THE OWLS
> Temple is 9-16 overall (5-7 AAC) including 5-3 at home and 3-13 on the road.
> After starting the conference slate 0-5, the Owls have won five of their last seven games.
> Sophomore Mia Davis leads Temple on both ends of the floor, averaging a 19.4 points to go along with 9.1 rebounds per game.
> Graduate student Alliya Butts is second on the team in scoring, with 15.4 points per game, while leading the Owls with averages of 4.7 assists and 2.1 steals per outing.
> Freshman Marissa Mackins averages 7.7 points per game, while senior Lena Niang (5.2 ppg) and ophomore Emani Mayo (5.1 ppg) also chip in.
> Post players, junior Shantay Taylor (4.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg) and freshman Alexa Williamson (5.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg) also aid the offense.
> As a team, Temple is shooting 38.4% from the field and 30.2% from long range.

LAST TIME OUT: SMU 53, Temple 52
> Temple rallied all the way back from a 19-point deficit to lead by 10, but allowed a 12-1 closing run from SMU to drop a 53-52 heartbreaker on the road.
> The Owls used massive 25-2 run between the third and fourth quarters to lead 51-41 with under two minutes to play.
> From there, SMU put together a 12-1 closing surge, including a game-tying three with 16 seconds left.
> An Owls free throw made it 52-51, but SMU got a driving lay-up to get the win.
> Mia Davis led the Owls with 20 points and nine rebounds.
> Alliya Butts finished with eight points, seven assists, and five steals.
> Marissa Mackins and Lena Niang each added nine points in the loss.

SCOUTING UCF
> UCF enters Saturday's game with a 21-5 overall record, including 10-3 in conference play, good for second behind only UConn.
> The Knights are led by guard Kay Kay Wright's 18.1 points and 3.8 assists per game.
> Kayla Thigpen adds 9.7 points per outing, while Sydnee McDonald adds 7.5 points with a team-best 48 threes on the season.
> Masseny Kaba adds 6.1 points per game, while Nyala Shuler leads the Knights with 7.0 rebounds per game.
> As a team, UCF shoots 41.1% from the field and 31.3% from three.
> The Knights allow just 56.0 points per game from opponents.

LAST TIME OUT: UCF 57, Wichita State 49
> UCF won in its first ever trip to Wichita State, taking a 57-47 contest from the Shockers on Wednesday night.
> After a 29-29 halftime tie, the Knights locked in defensively down the stretch, outscoring Wichita State 18-9 over the final 13:45.
> Kay Kay Wright led the way with her 12th 20-point performance of the season, scoring a game-high 21 to go along with a team-leading six rebounds.
> Kayla Thigpen added 11 points while pulling down five rebounds.
> Nyala Shuler tied her season high with four steals.

TEMPLE VS. UCF
> Temple owns the all-time series against UCF, 7-4, but the Knights won all three meetings last season.

LAST TIME THEY MET: UCF 77, Temple 70 (3/4/18)
> #11 seed Temple fell 77-70 to #3 UCF in the quarterfinals of the 2018 American Athletic Conference Tournament.
> Temple led by 15 in a huge first frame, but UCF rallied in the second to go up one at the half.
> The Knights broke things open in the third quarter, as a full court press tripped up the Owls, with UCF out-scoring Temple 25-17 in the frame.
> Temple made it a five point game late in the fourth, but couldn't complete the comeback.
> Tanaya Atkinson finished with 20 points and 17 rebounds in her final collegiate game.
> Mykia Jones nailed five from long range, ending her collegiate career with a season-best 18 points.
> For UCF, Zakiya Saunders led four Knights in double figures with 22 points, adding six rebounds and four steals.
> Masseny Kaba added 13 points and eight boards, while Kay Kay Wright and Aliyah Gregory each finished with 11.