FAU 61 vs UCF 75 final. Thoughts:

[UCFhonors]

Career high game for AJ Davis with 21 points and 15 rebounds and 4 assists.

We started slow. FAU had the lead for the first half of the first half - wished cbb had quarters. Then we took over the game eventually having a 20 point lead. Great game overall. Wished we didn't shoot as many threes and dished it down low more. Our length which is 7th in the nation was a big factor in the game.

 

[G-Knight]

Overall good game. I think we did a good job attacking the boards tonight. I wish we would dish it to Tako and even McBride a little more. They are both underutilized. I really like chance mcspadden. He will be a good player for us. I always see AJ and Henriquez making sure players are in position on D. This team is really starting to mesh.

 

[KNIGHTTIME^]

This might be the most athletic basketball we ever had. We still need a little more time to gel but I think we are definitely moving back in the right direction. I think getting to 16-18 wins this year can be realistic goal. Next year going over 20 wins.

 

[firm_bizzle]

This might be the most athletic basketball we ever had. We still need a little more time to gel but I think we are definitely moving back in the right direction. I think getting to 16-18 wins this year can be realistic goal. Next year going over 20 wins.

With our new coach? Definitely.

 

[UCFhonors]

This might be the most athletic basketball we ever had. We still need a little more time to gel but I think we are definitely moving back in the right direction. I think getting to 16-18 wins this year can be realistic goal. Next year going over 20 wins.

Probably the most athletic team ever and certainly the tallest. These are the type of players that we need to play "major" level basketball IMO.

As I said preseason, AJ could be the difference maker. Right now he is the best player on the team. I would like to him develop into a player who can take over the game.
Adonys relies on his shot too much. He could a top guard in the league if he drove more.
Shaheed has been making more of impact each game.
The 3 centers can really reek havoc on opposing teams.

And this is all without IMHO our best player BJ. This would be a 20 win team if BJ was in.

The AAC should be a 3-4 maybe a 5 team Tourney conference every year. The bottom half has been dragging the conference down. If we make it to 5th in the conference this year, it will be an amazing season. I think we can. If we don't get to the top half soon we may be relegated as conference bottom dwellers.

 

[Central Floridave]

thanks for the game reports.

 

[Knight_Light]

Adonys relies on his shot too much. He could a top guard in the league if he drove more.
Shaheed has been making more of impact each game.
The 3 centers can really reek havoc on opposing teams.

And this is all without IMHO our best player BJ. This would be a 20 win team if BJ was in.

The AAC should be a 3-4 maybe a 5 team Tourney conference every year. The bottom half has been dragging the conference down. If we make it to 5th in the conference this year, it will be an amazing season. I think we can. If we don't get to the top half soon we may be relegated as conference bottom dwellers.

Good news for Adonys is he is doing just that...as he was 6-6 from the FT line...as he didn't have a great night shooting (3-9), his hard work over the off-season on trying to get to the rim is slowly paying off...as he should be one of our best FT shooters (like last night, even though he got off to a very slow start this year from the stripe).

AAC games will be tough usually going up against bigger/stronger post players...so Fall, McBride and Blair still need to improve their game on both ends of the court. (McBride and Blair were "out of it last night"...too many mistakes on both ends of the court).

 

[Knight_Light]

Here are some highlights from last night's game


Here's Coach Jones post-game press conf
https://soundcloud.com/ucfknights/head-coach-donnie-jones-postgame-interview-fau

Here's AJ and Adonys post-game presser
https://soundcloud.com/ucfknights/aj-davis-and-adonys-henriquez-postgame-interviews-fau

 

[KNIGHTTIME^]

With our new coach? Definitely.

Lucky enough the boosters are still in the Donnie camp instead of doing something stupid. This group is really good and Donnie recruited all of them. He finally gets to coach a team with more than 8 scholarship players available and we have the talent to make some noise. With BJ starting we are at worst 7-1 this year.

 

[Knight_Light]

Lucky enough the boosters are still in the Donnie camp instead of doing something stupid. This group is really good and Donnie recruited all of them. He finally gets to coach a team with more than 8 scholarship players available and we have the talent to make some noise. With BJ starting we are at worst 7-1 this year.

Yeah, with BJ, UCF wins those 2 games that they lost by 1 pt...and maybe upset Davidson in a close loss.

The extra PT Chance McSpadden is getting with BJ out will certainly pay off in the coming years.

 

[Poolside Knight]

Basketball ignorant question

was BJ supposed to be the best returning player for this team?

 

[22knights_era]

I'm from Tampa, but coming to UCF next fall. Anyways, are there ever set UCF sections at basketball away games? Gonna go when UCF plays USF in Tampa on 1/20 but was wondering if there were any sections that are set for UCF fans.

 

[KnightsFan99]

Basketball ignorant question

was BJ supposed to be the best returning player for this team?

Yes. But think we've got much more balanced team than we may have thought with AJ Davis and Tacko new to go with Henriquez and improved Shaheed Davis. But to say we definitely would have won two of the games we lost is dumb. He definitely would have helped but no way to know how a game would have unfolded.

 

[KNIGHTTIME^]

Yes. But think we've got much more balanced team than we may have thought with AJ Davis and Tacko new to go with Henriquez and improved Shaheed Davis. But to say we definitely would have won two of the games we lost is dumb. He definitely would have helped but no way to know how a game would have unfolded.

Without naming we had a ton of costly turnovers at the PG position those games.

 

[UCFhonors]

Yes. But think we've got much more balanced team than we may have thought with AJ Davis and Tacko new to go with Henriquez and improved Shaheed Davis. But to say we definitely would have won two of the games we lost is dumb. He definitely would have helped but no way to know how a game would have unfolded.

Wut? You must not play ball like I do. I can tell you, your best player being out is never a good thing. Great players win games.

 

[KNIGHTTIME^]

Wut? You must not play ball like I do. I can tell you, your best player being out is never a good thing. Great players win games.

Plus the PG is almost like your QB in football.

 

[KnightsFan99]

Wut? You must not play ball like I do. I can tell you, your best player being out is never a good thing. Great players win games.

You must not read very well.

I play and coach.

 

[Knight_Light]

Basketball ignorant question

was BJ supposed to be the best returning player for this team?

Yes, because as a true freshmen, he was the QB/Floor General and was an All-Conf Rookie Team (not just Freshmen, along with Adonys), last year as he played well above the expectations for a true freshmen.

The silver lining with BJ being out is Chance is getting a lot of PT that he wouldn't have if BJ was healthy...and hopefully all this experience Chance is getting will payoff later down the road (probably some this year, a lot more next year).

 

[Knight_Light]

Yes. But think we've got much more balanced team than we may have thought with AJ Davis and Tacko new to go with Henriquez and improved Shaheed Davis. But to say we definitely would have won two of the games we lost is dumb. He definitely would have helped but no way to know how a game would have unfolded.

UCF lost 2 games that were decided by 1 pt, 1 possession...and if don't think BJ was worth 1 pt difference, then you probably didn't watch those 2 close games.

Vs UCI, Walker and a then very inexperienced McSpadden played 49 mins and scored just a combined 7 pts, 5 turnovers and 7 assists.

In UCF's 1 pt loss at Miami, OH (who lost to FAU at home earlier this season), Walker/McSpadden had 9 turnovers (several during UCF's collapse late in the game) and just 7 assists in a combined 61 mins of action.

Bottom line, its NOT dumb to say that BJ would have probably made a difference (a big difference late in games) in both of those 1 pt losses.

Hopefully with Chance gaining more experience, his confidence level will continue to go up as he is still learning how to play the point-guard spot and doesn't have top ball skills at this time (played mostly shooting guard/even wing in HS).

 

[Knight_Light]

You must not read very well.

I play and coach.

Ok, but your statements also make it clear you didn't watch UCF play UCI or Miami earlier this year.

 

[KnightsFan99]

Ok, but your statements also make it clear you didn't watch UCF play UCI or Miami earlier this year.

Watched the entire UCI game and don't need to have watched the Miami game to know that you never know how sports games are going to turn out. Since you don't understand what I'm saying, I'll break it down further. I think BJ is our best player. I think our team is better with him in the lineup. I have also watched, played and coached enough basketball to know that a team isn't always the sum of the its parts. I also know that there's a lot more to how games unfold then if X player was in or not. Do I think we would have won those games with Taylor in. Yes. Would I say that we definitely would be 7-1 or 8-0 with him in the lineup. No. I have not idea how those or the other games we've played would have unfolded. There's a good chance we would be, but there's nothing definite in sports. UCI game wasn't a talent difference that cost us that game, it was bad execution and play calling down the stretch.

 

[UCFhonors]

You must not read very well.

I play and coach.

If that's a call out, I'm down. I'll break your ankles.

 

[KNIGHTTIME^]

We have 2 low rpi opponents coming up with Detroit (away) and George Washington (home). It would be nice to get those wins. At least win 2 out of 3.

 

[UCFhonors]

Watched the entire UCI game and don't need to have watched the Miami game to know that you never know how sports games are going to turn out. Since you don't understand what I'm saying, I'll break it down further. I think BJ is our best player. I think our team is better with him in the lineup. I have also watched, played and coached enough basketball to know that a team isn't always the sum of the its parts. I also know that there's a lot more to how games unfold then if X player was in or not. Do I think we would have won those games with Taylor in. Yes. Would I say that we definitely would be 7-1 or 8-0 with him in the lineup. No. I have not idea how those or the other games we've played would have unfolded. There's a good chance we would be, but there's nothing definite in sports. UCI game wasn't a talent difference that cost us that game, it was bad execution and play calling down the stretch.

I hear what you're saying. It's like when we had Sykes. Who knows how good or bad we would've been without him? I believe he hurt the development and progress of the team.

However, there is a huge difference between having your best player be a 3 and a raw scorer, vs your best player being a PG who is great at assist. A great PG like a QB makes the team better.

Right now we are winning or losing bc of individual effort IMHO. Teams need to "gel" or have a player who helps everyone else. I know this bc when I play street ball, I look to pass not just to shoot. I make teams better.

 

[KNIGHTTIME^]

I hear what you're saying. It's like when we had Sykes. Who knows how good or bad we would've been without him? I believe he hurt the development and progress of the team.

However, there is a huge difference between having your best player be a 3 and a raw scorer, vs your best player being a PG who is great at assist. A great PG like a QB makes the team better.

Right now we are winning or losing bc of individual effort IMHO. Teams need to "gel" or have a player who helps everyone else. I know this bc when I play street ball, I look to pass not just to shoot. I make teams better.

That team with Sykes we had at best 1-2 guys we could count on to create a shot. If we can gel with this team we have scorers across the lineup. Finally guys that can hit 3's but can create shots too. Wait until we get BJ, Adonys, AJ, Tacko, and Shaheed gelling together with quality guys coming off the bench.

 

[SPTKnight]

So BJ is a GREAT player, but I'm with knightsfan99 on this one. There is no telling what would happen with him on the floor. Has Adonys had a big jump in production this year? He is still an integral part of this team, but he was more last year imo. Same could go for BJ. He may change the level of play dramatically, or he may not... We'll find out if the first couple losses could've been wins when he returns.

On the bright side, as was previously mentioned, we will have a great couple of floor generals with Chance and BJ. I am VERY encouraged at the depth of this team.

 

[knightraveler]

With our new coach? Definitely.

Lol....here we go again. Can't say that at this point I don't agree.

 

[Knight_Classes_begin_7pm]

Overall good game. I think we did a good job attacking the boards tonight. I wish we would dish it to Tako and even McBride a little more. They are both underutilized. I really like chance mcspadden. He will be a good player for us. I always see AJ and Henriquez making sure players are in position on D. This team is really starting to mesh.

I always wonder how Donnie practices/coaches the low post game. Blair is a senior...he should be doing better. Overall happy with the results. Donnie needs more passion and fire. The players seem sleepy until awakened sometimes.

 

[Knight_Light]

I always wonder how Donnie practices/coaches the low post game. Blair is a senior...he should be doing better. Overall happy with the results. Donnie needs more passion and fire. The players seem sleepy until awakened sometimes.

I'm glad that Donnie is giving Tacko the majority of mins between the Big 3 as he is the future.

Blair was recruited as a Big East banger...and he has improved his overall game during the last 3 years, Tacko is the future...and McBride, if his head is in the game, is a much better offensive substitute than Blair.

Blair played well in spurts 2 games ago or so...but his mins this year will be limited, rightfully so for the future (i.e. Tacko).

 

[KNIGHTTIME^]

I always wonder how Donnie practices/coaches the low post game. Blair is a senior...he should be doing better. Overall happy with the results. Donnie needs more passion and fire. The players seem sleepy until awakened sometimes.

Not everyone can be a dominant college player. He has been really good at times and average at times. I do like that we can move around the 3 big guys in and out of the game. Hopefully Tacko continues to improve over the next few years because he can turn out to be a star player.

We could use Blair on the football team.

 

[Knight_Classes_begin_7pm]

Not everyone can be a dominant college player. He has been really good at times and average at times. I do like that we can move around the 3 big guys in and out of the game. Hopefully Tacko continues to improve over the next few years because he can turn out to be a star player.

We could use Blair on the football team.

Yes! Blair and McBride could switch to Football!

 

[Knight_Classes_begin_7pm]

I'm glad that Donnie is giving Tacko the majority of mins between the Big 3 as he is the future.

Blair was recruited as a Big East banger...and he has improved his overall game during the last 3 years, Tacko is the future...and McBride, if his head is in the game, is a much better offensive substitute than Blair.

Blair played well in spurts 2 games ago or so...but his mins this year will be limited, rightfully so for the future (i.e. Tacko).

True. Good points