On a four-game skid, UCF will look to bounce back at home on Saturday vs. No. 23 Texas Tech. The Knights and Red Raiders met a couple weeks ago in Lubbock with Tech winning a 66-59 decision.
Texas Tech is 8-5 in the Big 12. Since playing UCF, they trounced No. 6 Kansas 79-50 and beat TCU by a point, while losing to No. 10 Iowa State on the road.
Johnny Dawkins
Dawkins said they "have to get better" and "that it starts with me." He doesn't like losing. "I'm not okay with that." They have to tweak what they do to get better.
At WVU, they took too many threes and settled for those shots. They didn't understand the need to balance their offense with what they like to do. They didn't defend well anyway. Their pressure wasn't there and they didn't make them feel uncomfortable. Give WVU credit though.
They got lulled into shooting threes because WVU left those shooters open - because UCF isn't a good three-point shooting team. So when they're shooting threes constantly (and not hitting them), they weren't getting fouled either. Many were good looks, but they need to feed the low-post players for higher percentage shots.
They like to "ground and pound" which means inside-out. Don't settle. This was also the first time they played a team that showed mostly zone defense and that contributed to the offensive decision making.
They have to "regroup and respond" and that happens by defending and rebounding better and embracing physicality. They've had opportunities to win three of the last four games, but had a few miscues.
They've been knocked down, so they have to get back up. Be tougher. They can control that. They can't control making shots, but they can control how they defend and rebound.
Jaylin Sellers strugged at WVU. He's obviously their leading scorer and they need for him to be aggressive vs. Texas Tech. Obviously when he's been successful offensively, UCF has been successful as a team.
Nils Machowski is improving. He's a good shooter and will only improve.
Dawkins says Pop Isaacs (16.2 ppg) and Joe Toussaint (12.6 ppg) are really tough guards. They have to limit Kerin Walton's three-point opportunities (he's a high volume shooter and is making 50 percent of his three-point attempts). Darrio Williams is also a great scorer and rebounder, he went off for 30 against Kansas.
Dawkins is "not happy" with their defense of late. They have to rebound and be tougher. They gave up 48 percent from the field at WVU and 50 percent from three, which is unacceptable. "That's ridiculous." You can't do that in the Big 12.
When UCF was 4-5 in the Big 12, he thought they were moving in the right direction. The prior three games they were in position to win. WVU was the first game they didn't play well from start to finish.
Dawkins says they need Knight Nation to come out on Saturday vs. Texas Tech. The fans have been like a sixth man.
Darius Johnson
To get over the hump, they must get back to their "old ways" defensively. Teams are scoring too much, like BYU scoring 90 and WVU 77. UCF has been a good defensive team, but those numbers are starting to trend in the wrong direction.
WVU switched up to a zone defense, giving them open looks beyond the three-point line which is why they continued to shoot it from long range. They should have done a better job of penetrating. As a result, they weren't fouled much either.
Defensively, they have to impose their will on the other team. Rebounding has been an issue.
Looking back on the first game at Texas Tech, they gave up too many threes early to Walton, including an and-one. Darrion Williams also got going early in that game.
He reiterated again about hanging their hats on defense and stepping up there.
The losing streak has been tough. He feels they let some games slip on the road and am looking forward to being back at home.
He hopes the fans aren't losing faith and they still come out to support them vs. Texas Tech. They're definitely going to need them.
Nils Machowski has been improving since he arrived last summer. He can pass and shoot it well.
Texas Tech is 8-5 in the Big 12. Since playing UCF, they trounced No. 6 Kansas 79-50 and beat TCU by a point, while losing to No. 10 Iowa State on the road.
Johnny Dawkins
Dawkins said they "have to get better" and "that it starts with me." He doesn't like losing. "I'm not okay with that." They have to tweak what they do to get better.
At WVU, they took too many threes and settled for those shots. They didn't understand the need to balance their offense with what they like to do. They didn't defend well anyway. Their pressure wasn't there and they didn't make them feel uncomfortable. Give WVU credit though.
They got lulled into shooting threes because WVU left those shooters open - because UCF isn't a good three-point shooting team. So when they're shooting threes constantly (and not hitting them), they weren't getting fouled either. Many were good looks, but they need to feed the low-post players for higher percentage shots.
They like to "ground and pound" which means inside-out. Don't settle. This was also the first time they played a team that showed mostly zone defense and that contributed to the offensive decision making.
They have to "regroup and respond" and that happens by defending and rebounding better and embracing physicality. They've had opportunities to win three of the last four games, but had a few miscues.
They've been knocked down, so they have to get back up. Be tougher. They can control that. They can't control making shots, but they can control how they defend and rebound.
Jaylin Sellers strugged at WVU. He's obviously their leading scorer and they need for him to be aggressive vs. Texas Tech. Obviously when he's been successful offensively, UCF has been successful as a team.
Nils Machowski is improving. He's a good shooter and will only improve.
Dawkins says Pop Isaacs (16.2 ppg) and Joe Toussaint (12.6 ppg) are really tough guards. They have to limit Kerin Walton's three-point opportunities (he's a high volume shooter and is making 50 percent of his three-point attempts). Darrio Williams is also a great scorer and rebounder, he went off for 30 against Kansas.
Dawkins is "not happy" with their defense of late. They have to rebound and be tougher. They gave up 48 percent from the field at WVU and 50 percent from three, which is unacceptable. "That's ridiculous." You can't do that in the Big 12.
When UCF was 4-5 in the Big 12, he thought they were moving in the right direction. The prior three games they were in position to win. WVU was the first game they didn't play well from start to finish.
Dawkins says they need Knight Nation to come out on Saturday vs. Texas Tech. The fans have been like a sixth man.
Darius Johnson
To get over the hump, they must get back to their "old ways" defensively. Teams are scoring too much, like BYU scoring 90 and WVU 77. UCF has been a good defensive team, but those numbers are starting to trend in the wrong direction.
WVU switched up to a zone defense, giving them open looks beyond the three-point line which is why they continued to shoot it from long range. They should have done a better job of penetrating. As a result, they weren't fouled much either.
Defensively, they have to impose their will on the other team. Rebounding has been an issue.
Looking back on the first game at Texas Tech, they gave up too many threes early to Walton, including an and-one. Darrion Williams also got going early in that game.
He reiterated again about hanging their hats on defense and stepping up there.
The losing streak has been tough. He feels they let some games slip on the road and am looking forward to being back at home.
He hopes the fans aren't losing faith and they still come out to support them vs. Texas Tech. They're definitely going to need them.
Nils Machowski has been improving since he arrived last summer. He can pass and shoot it well.
