UCF coach Johnny Dawkins doesn’t care which player has a big night, just as long as his Knights come out on top.
That has worked so far as the Knights (3-0) prepare to host Georgia Southern (1-2) on Friday in Orlando, Fla.
Dior Johnson leads the nation in scoring, averaging 31.0 points per game. He had 24 points to go along with nine assists and five steals in a 76-69 win over South Alabama on Tuesday.
Johnson wasn’t the only star in the game, however, as Carmelo Pacheco sank eight 3-pointers to finish with 24 points.
“I think in the second half we took the momentum from the last four minutes of the first half and ran with it,” Dawkins said. “Melo was huge at the end of the first and throughout the second half.”
South Alabama primarily played zone defense. As soon as the Knights adjusted to that, they took over.
UCF made 45.5% of its shots from the floor, including 17 of 38 attempts from 3-point range.
“They did a good job with the zone, so we had to adjust to it,” Dawkins said. “You can try to simulate it in practice, but the bottom line is everyone plays it differently, so you have to find the seams, and I think our guys did that.”
The Eagles are coming off a 97-91 overtime loss to Mercer on Tuesday.
Dallas Gardner finished with 28 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two blocks. He hit two free throws with one second left to send the game into extra time.
Gardner was named to the preseason All-Sun Belt Conference second team after missing all of last season with an injury.
Truman Claytor IV made five 3-pointers to highlight his 19-point performance. He also had six rebounds, two steals and two blocks.
Eltramon Smith added 15 points and eight rebounds and Jeromy Davis had 10 and 10, respectively.
“It’s about building a foundation,” Georgia Southern coach Charlie Henry told WJCL in October. “We want a team full of great teammates. That was the formula for us last year, and it’s going to stay the formula for us as long as I’m here.”
–Field Level Media
