Written by Adrian beecher
![Picture](/uploads/9/3/9/9/9399298/1416796111.png)
(Photo credit: Colt Cardwell / The SkyBoat)
Orlando, Fla- Freshman B.J. Taylor had a career night with 24 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds to lead the Knights in a 76-69 win over USC Upstate Sunday night at CFE Arena. UCF Senior Kasey Wilson also recorded his first double-double of the season with a 10 point, 10 rebound performance.
Staphon Blair scored the first 5 points of the game for UCF, as the Knights and Spartans both got off to fast start in the first half. With 8 lead changes in the first 6 minutes of the game, the Spartans were clinging onto a 15-14 lead over UCF with 13:57 to play in the 1st period.
At the 11:29 mark in the 1st period, Shaheed Davis laid down a monster dunk off an assist from Adonys Henriquez to give the Knights a 22-19 lead on the Spartans.
USC Upstate then went on a 14-2 run to give the Spartans a 33-24 lead on the Knights as Mario Blessing nailed a triple with 7:29 to play in the 1st half. Blessing finished the game 4-for-4 from behind the 3-point line.
The Knights clawed their way back with their own 11-4 run to cut the Spartans lead to 2. At the half UCF trailed the Spartans 37-35, shooting 50% from the field and 60% from the free throw line.
The Knights continued where they left on in the first half, opening up the second period with a 8-0 run to take a 43-37 lead with 18:43 to play.
The Spartans got their first lead of the 2nd half on a jumper form Damian Goodwin to put USC Upstae in the lead 50-49 with 15:07 to play. UCF and the Spartans then traded the lead 7 times in the next 6:46 as the Knights took a 63-61 lead on a layup from Staphon Blair.
Blair had 5 of his 7 blocks in the second half to help lead the Knights; he also added 8 rebounds and 11 points to his total in Sundays performance.
"Defensively he's learned to stay out of foul trouble now and use his body, knowing when to jump instead of trying to block everything all the time. He's done a great job at that." said UCF Head Coach Donnie Jones of Blairs progression this season.
The Knights would not give the lead back to the Spartans and closed the game out on a 17-8 run improving to 3-0 on the season.
Post-game coach Jones spoke of the all around team performance in the win, "Tonight we had 22 assists on 29 field goals, thats terrific. Whens the last time we've had that here? And I think thats those guys sharing the basketball and not caring who gets the credit."
Donnie Jones and his Knights will now prepare for their toughest test of the season, as they are set to face Davidson next Wednesday at CFE Arena. The Wildcats just recently gave the UNC Tar Heels all they could handle in a tough loss to the No. 6 team in the country. Tipoff is set for 7 pm.
Staphon Blair scored the first 5 points of the game for UCF, as the Knights and Spartans both got off to fast start in the first half. With 8 lead changes in the first 6 minutes of the game, the Spartans were clinging onto a 15-14 lead over UCF with 13:57 to play in the 1st period.
At the 11:29 mark in the 1st period, Shaheed Davis laid down a monster dunk off an assist from Adonys Henriquez to give the Knights a 22-19 lead on the Spartans.
USC Upstate then went on a 14-2 run to give the Spartans a 33-24 lead on the Knights as Mario Blessing nailed a triple with 7:29 to play in the 1st half. Blessing finished the game 4-for-4 from behind the 3-point line.
The Knights clawed their way back with their own 11-4 run to cut the Spartans lead to 2. At the half UCF trailed the Spartans 37-35, shooting 50% from the field and 60% from the free throw line.
The Knights continued where they left on in the first half, opening up the second period with a 8-0 run to take a 43-37 lead with 18:43 to play.
The Spartans got their first lead of the 2nd half on a jumper form Damian Goodwin to put USC Upstae in the lead 50-49 with 15:07 to play. UCF and the Spartans then traded the lead 7 times in the next 6:46 as the Knights took a 63-61 lead on a layup from Staphon Blair.
Blair had 5 of his 7 blocks in the second half to help lead the Knights; he also added 8 rebounds and 11 points to his total in Sundays performance.
"Defensively he's learned to stay out of foul trouble now and use his body, knowing when to jump instead of trying to block everything all the time. He's done a great job at that." said UCF Head Coach Donnie Jones of Blairs progression this season.
The Knights would not give the lead back to the Spartans and closed the game out on a 17-8 run improving to 3-0 on the season.
Post-game coach Jones spoke of the all around team performance in the win, "Tonight we had 22 assists on 29 field goals, thats terrific. Whens the last time we've had that here? And I think thats those guys sharing the basketball and not caring who gets the credit."
Donnie Jones and his Knights will now prepare for their toughest test of the season, as they are set to face Davidson next Wednesday at CFE Arena. The Wildcats just recently gave the UNC Tar Heels all they could handle in a tough loss to the No. 6 team in the country. Tipoff is set for 7 pm.