UCF Heads to NIT Quarterfinals

The UCF Knights are coming off a close win against the No. 1 seeded Illinois State. Creating this upset was a confidence boost for the Knights. But now it’s time to focus on Wednesday night’s game against Illinois.

The Journey

The Knights got to the quarterfinals after a win from Colorado at home in the beginning. Then, the second round was good to the Knights and allowed a major upset. Top seeded Illinois State fell to UCF 63-62 Monday night. Illinois secured two at home wins over Valparaiso and Boise State to get them to the postseason tournament. The knights have won four of their last five games at home leaving them with a 14-3 home court record.

While exactly how the Knights got this far was a team effort, there are players that stand out. Guards B.J. Taylor and Matt Williams are some worth mentioning. Their positive attitudes and leadership capabilities are what helped them get their team this far. Williams says he’s staying focused on how they got this far in the first place. B.J. Taylor is also being recognized. The sophomore scored 22 points in the Knight’s last game Monday and put up 26 points against Colorado.

What’s On The Line

The Knights have the home court advantage for this one. The winner of this game will advance to the NIT final four against TCU. The semifinals are held in Madison Square Garden. And let’s not forget that this is the best team UCF  has had in over a decade. Illinois will face the Knights as a two seed. The fighting Illini has a 14-5 home record- and is just 3-6 in road games.

Looking Ahead

UCF head coach Johnny Dawkins is relying on the UCF community for Wednesday night’s game.  He knows his team can’t do it alone. This team isn’t one to take lightly. With the right fan base, a team can do anything. UCF has that going for them. B.J. Taylor agrees.

UCF’s game is Wednesday night against Illinois. Tip off is at 7 p.m.