Depth issues are a fact of life for UCF men's basketball this season.
The Knights had just six scholarship players available for their Tuesday game against Tulsa, a 71-53 victory.
The number for most of the conference season had been seven, but senior Tanksley Efianayi was sidelined to due to tedinitis in his knees. UCF also played with six scholarship players earlier this season when A.J. Davis and B.J. Taylor missed multiple games to injuries.
Help is on the way for 2017-18. Four transfers who have been sitting out - Terrell Allen, Dayon Griffin, Rokas Ulvydas and Aubrey Dawkins - will become eligible to play. UCF will also get back freshman Ceasar DeJesus, who also had to sit out after not being cleared by the NCAA, as well as Chance McSpadden, who is recovering from ACL surgery.
UCF has already signed three players (Kani Coles, Myles Douglas, Daniel Lewis) in the 2017 recruiting class, which would get them back to the 13 scholarship limit.
It's been years since UCF has played a season with 13 scholarship players, but the number could be "14" as Johnny Dawkins is prepared to pay tuition for his son, Aubrey, so he won't count against the numbers.
"I think we'll have more depth next year," Dawkins said after the Tulsa game. "We're losing a few players, but we're gaining more players than we're losing as far as numbers. Right now scholarship wise we have seven players, but really just six because Tank is out. Next year we'll have at least 13 scholarship players and that's probably not including my son which makes 14 because he's playing for dad... It will be great to have numbers. It's difficult with the long season and guys having to play extended minutes. Next year we'll be able to rectify that."
If Aubrey Dawkins is to be officially counted as a walk-on next season, that gives UCF one more spot to work with in the 2017 recruiting class. It appears all sights are set on 6-foot-11 French big man Olivier Sarr, who officially visited Monday and Tuesday. He's also visited Cal and Wake Forest and will be at Vanderbilt later in the week. A decision is expected shortly thereafter.
Current projected 2017-18 UCF men's basketball roster:
Seniors
A.J. Davis
Juniors
B.J. Taylor
Tacko Fall
Chad Brown
Aubrey Dawkins
Dayon Griffin
Kani Coles
Sophomores
Chance McSpadden
Terrell Allen
Rokas Ulvydas
Freshmen
Ceasar DeJesus
Myles Douglas
Daniel Lewis
Losses to graduation: Matt Williams, Tanksley Efianayi, Nick Banyard
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