UCF Knights men's basketball
Encyclopedia
The UCF Knights
men's basketball team represents the University of Central Florida
located in Orlando, Florida
. The Knights compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) Division I and the Eastern Division of Conference USA
(C-USA). They play their home games in the UCF Arena
located on the university's main campus. Donnie Jones
will be serving his first year as head coach of the Knights in the 2010–2011 season.
The Knights have appeared in the NCAA Tournament
four times: 1994
, 1996
, 2004
and 2005
. The Knights also appeared in the Tournament six times as a Division II team, and appeared in the Final Four
in 1978.
, UCF found great success including a DII Final Four appearance. UCF has competed in the Atlantic Sun Conference
(formerly called the Trans American Athletic Conference), from 1992 until 2005, when all sports joined Conference USA
. As a Division II team, the Knights had been a charter member of the Sunshine State Conference
from 1975 to 1984. The Knights also had a brief two-year stint in the Sun Belt Conference
.
, served as UCF's, then FTU's, first head basketball coach. In 1969, Clark, who was a Wisconsin
high school coach, was responsible for starting the university's basketball program from scratch. The creation of the program had only been approved by the Florida Board of Regents
five months prior to his hire. That year, as a club level team, the Knights went 11–3, including a 99–38 victory in their first game over Massey Tech. The first season would serve as an omen for UCF basketball, with Clark bringing the university unprecedented success as a Division II team. Roaming the sidelines for 14 seasons, Clark never had a losing season, and built UCF into a national power, bringing the Knights five Sunshine State Conference regular season championships, one conference tournament championship and six NCAA tournament appearances in eight years. In 1978, Clark led the Knights, which at the time were riding a 24–game winning streak, to the Final Four in Minnesota. During his tenure, the Knights were ranked in the top 10 nationally for seven consecutive years.
Clarke earned Sunshine State Coach of the Year honors four times and won the conference’s coach of the decade award. While at UCF, Clark coached both of his sons, Bo and Mike. All three men are members of the UCF Athletic Hall of Fame, and Clark is a member of the Sunshine State Conference Hall of Fame. Bo is the Knight’s all-time leading scorer with Mike second on the list, and as a freshman in 1976 Bo was the nation's leading scorer. The father-son duo were featured in a 1979 Sports Illustrated
issue.
On February 26, 1983, Clark coached his last game as a Knight, with UCF falling to Florida Southern
. During his tenure, Clark's squads went 274–89 (.754), winning 20 or more games in a year on seven occasions. Clark enjoyed a 71–13 (.845) record in the Sunshine State Conference. In the decade after Clark retired, the Knights had only one winning season, the year after he left.
Following their first losing season, the Knights hired Phil Carter. Carter would coach the Knights for four years, earning a 34–76 (.309) record. In his first year with the team, the Knights suffered a disappointing 6–22 record. The next year, Carter engineered one of the top improvements in the nation, leading UCF to a 12–15 campaign. From there the club would falter under his lead, earning 9 and 7 win seasons respectively. Carter finished his tenure without a winning season, manufacturing a 34–76 (.309) record.
Coming from Birmingham-Southern, coach Joe Dean replaced Carter. Dean led the Knights through a tumultuous four-year period, with two conference affiliation changes. In his second year with the team, UCF joined the American South Conference, the team's first affiliation since joining Division I. The next year the conference became the Sun Belt Conference, and the next year the Knights joined the Atlantic Sun Conference. In 1991, the Knights moved from their original home-court, which was in the education building, to the UCF Arena
(now known as the Old UCF Arena). In their last game in the education gymnasium, the team lost to Louisiana-Lafayette 85–94 on February 23, 1991. On November 30, 1991, the Knights posted a 82–74 victory over Campbell
in their first game in the new arena. In his four seasons with the Knights, Dean earned a 37–73 (.336) record. Like his predecessor, Dean did not enjoy a single winning season during his tenure.
, an assistant coach at Florida
, was hired as the Knights new head coach. During his 17-year tenure, Speraw led the Knights to four Atlantic Sun Conference tournament champions, one regular season championship, and all four of their NCAA tournament appearances (94, 96, 04, 05).
When Speraw took the helm in 1993, UCF had only one winning season since Torchy Clark left a decade earlier. In his first year with the team, Speraw led the Knights to an 11-game turnaround (21–9), earning the team their first Division I NCAA Tournament Appearance. After a down 1994 season, Speraw once again led the Knights to an NCAA Tournament appearance in 1996, their second in his first three years. In the teams last two years in the Atlantic Sun Conference, the Knights won both the 2004 and 2005 conference tournaments, and were the 2005 regular season champions as well. Despite their success, the Knights have never progressed passed the first round of the NCAA Tournament as a Division I team. UCF made its debut in Conference USA in 2005, and the team earned a birth in the Conference USA Championship Tournament in their first year. The Knights would fall to Houston in the second round and close out the season with the program's first losing record (14–15) since 2000–2001. The Knights made a huge turnaround in the 2006–07 season, finishing 2nd in conference play to Memphis
with an overall record of 22–9. Speraw won 2007 Conference USA Coach of the Year honors.
The Knights would play their first game in the new UCF Arena
on November 3, 2007, an 86–78 win over the Saint Leo Lions
. In their first regular-season game in the new arena, the Knights would win 63–60 over the Nevada Wolf Pack
, on November 11, 2007. In thrilling fashion, the Knights defeated the Tulsa Golden Hurricane
in triple overtime 97–91 in front of an announced crowd of 7,097, in their first home C-USA game in the arena on January 11, 2008.
Central Florida defeats Tulsa 97-91 in three overtimes In what would be his final season with the team, on February 2, 2010, the Knights defeated the East Carolina Pirates
67–56, earning Speraw his 275th win at UCF, passing Torchy Clark as the winningest coach in program history.
Following a disappointing 2009–10 season
in which the Knights went 15–17, the university decided not to retain Kirk Speraw
bringing an end to his 17-year tenure. Speraw garnered a school-high 279 wins (on 233 losses–.544), including 118–90 (.567) in the Atlantic Sun and 40–38 (.512) in Conference USA.
57–54 giving the Knights their first victory over a top 20 opponent as well as their first victory over the Gators. Following a 10–0 start to the 2010–11 season
, the Knights were nationally ranked for the first time in program history at the Division I level. At the time, UCF was one of nine unbeaten teams, and one of only four schools to be ranked in the BCS standings and the AP basketball poll. The Knights would continue to start the season 14–0, their best start since moving to Division I, ranking as high as #18, and would open conference play with a defeat of Jones' former team, the Marshall Thundering Herd
. UCF would finish the season 21–12 (6–10), with an appearance in the College Basketball Invitational
.
Jones led the Knights to the biggest win in program history, when on November 25, 2011 they defeated the defending national champions
and then-ranked #4 Connecticut Huskies
68–63 in the inaugural Battle 4 Atlantis
tournament.
The Knight's have taken the hardwood in three venues, all of which are still standing on UCF's main campus.
The Knight's first permanent home was in the College of Education's gymnasium. Seating under 1,000, this court served the team for over 20 years. The UCF Arena, now known as the Old UCF Arena or The Venue, broke ground in 1990 and opened for play in 1991. The Knights played their final season in the venue in 2007, going 15–1 at home only losing to the Elite Eight
bound Memphis Tigers
. The final game saw UCF defeating East Carolina 77–64 in front of 3,725 people. UCF averaged a then-school record 2,706 average attendance during the season.
UCF moved into its new home for the 2007–2008 season, the 10,000 seat UCF Arena. The Knights opened up their new arena against the reigning Western Athletic Conference
champion Nevada Wolf Pack
on November 11, 2007 in front of a crowd of 4,668. The attendance record in the new Arena is 9,825, which was set on January 10, 2009 against the Memphis Tigers
.
One of UCF's most unique basketball traditions is its free throw chant. Started by the "Kirk's Jerks" in the 1990's, UCF fans started holding their right arms with clenched fists almost straight up when a UCF player shoots a free throw. When the basketball is made, the fans would stomp their right foot twice, clap their hands twice, make a shooting motion with their right hand while chanting "woosh." In the more recent years, after the appropriately named Stomp Stomp, Clap Clap, Woosh chant, fans will chant U-C-F afterwards, making a U, a C, and an F over their heads. During the 2010-2011 season, a group of students attempted to start a new tradition; if a UCF player makes all of his free throws, the chant is followed by "ballin'." Stomp Stomp, Clap Clap, Woosh, U-C-F is one of the most unique free throw chants in all of college basketball.
There is also another tradition where if the opponent goes for a shot and gets an "air ball," the chants ring out the entire game for that one player. It's been shown as an effective way to get into the player's mind.
UCF Knights
The UCF Knights are the athletics teams of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. All of UCF's varsity sports teams are known as the Knights, with the women's teams sometimes referred to as the "Lady Knights." The Knights, which includes the university's 16 varsity sports teams,...
men's basketball team represents the University of Central Florida
University of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as UCF, is a metropolitan public research university located in Orlando, Florida, United States...
located in Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
. The Knights compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA) Division I and the Eastern Division of Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
(C-USA). They play their home games in the UCF Arena
UCF Arena
The UCF Arena is a multi-purpose arena complex located on the main campus of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida, USA. It is the home to the UCF Knights men's and women's basketball teams...
located on the university's main campus. Donnie Jones
Donnie Jones (basketball coach)
Donnie Jones is an American college basketball coach and former college basketball player. Jones is currently the head coach of the UCF Knights men's basketball team that represents the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida.After spending three years as head coach at Marshall, amassing...
will be serving his first year as head coach of the Knights in the 2010–2011 season.
The Knights have appeared in the NCAA Tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
four times: 1994
1994 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1994 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 17, 1994, and ended with the championship game on April 4 in Charlotte, North Carolina...
, 1996
1996 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1996 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 14, 1996, and ended with the championship game on April 1 at Continental Airlines Arena in...
, 2004
2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 2004, and ended with the championship game on April 5 at the Alamodome in San Antonio,...
and 2005
2005 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2005 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 15, 2005, and ended with the championship game on April 4 at the Edward Jones Dome in St...
. The Knights also appeared in the Tournament six times as a Division II team, and appeared in the Final Four
NCAA Men's Division II Basketball Championship
The NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship is an annual championship tournament for colleges and universities that are members of NCAA Division II, a grouping of schools in the United States that are generally smaller than the higher-profile institutions of Division I...
in 1978.
History
UCF played its first intercollegiate basketball game before the team even had a nickname. In the Division II era, under Torchy ClarkTorchy Clark
Eugene "Torchy" Clark was an American college basketball coach. He was the first head coach of the UCF Knights men's basketball team that represents the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. Then named Florida Technological University, Clark served as the university's head basketball...
, UCF found great success including a DII Final Four appearance. UCF has competed in the Atlantic Sun Conference
Atlantic Sun Conference
The Atlantic Sun Conference is a college athletic conference operating in the Southeastern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I; it does not sponsor football. The conference was established in 1978 as the Trans America Athletic Conference...
(formerly called the Trans American Athletic Conference), from 1992 until 2005, when all sports joined Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
. As a Division II team, the Knights had been a charter member of the Sunshine State Conference
Sunshine State Conference
The Sunshine State Conference was originally formed in 1975 as an NCAA Division II men's basketball conference. It has since expanded to sponsor championships in 14 sports, including men's and women's basketball, baseball, men's and women's golf, women's rowing, men's and women's soccer, softball,...
from 1975 to 1984. The Knights also had a brief two-year stint in the Sun Belt Conference
Sun Belt Conference
The Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
.
Clark era
Eugene “Torchy” ClarkTorchy Clark
Eugene "Torchy" Clark was an American college basketball coach. He was the first head coach of the UCF Knights men's basketball team that represents the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. Then named Florida Technological University, Clark served as the university's head basketball...
, served as UCF's, then FTU's, first head basketball coach. In 1969, Clark, who was a Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
high school coach, was responsible for starting the university's basketball program from scratch. The creation of the program had only been approved by the Florida Board of Regents
Florida Board of Regents
The Florida Board of Regents was from 1965 to 2001 the governing body for the State University System of Florida, which includes all public universities in the state of Florida, United States. It was created to replace a predecessor body called the Florida Board of Control, which had existed from...
five months prior to his hire. That year, as a club level team, the Knights went 11–3, including a 99–38 victory in their first game over Massey Tech. The first season would serve as an omen for UCF basketball, with Clark bringing the university unprecedented success as a Division II team. Roaming the sidelines for 14 seasons, Clark never had a losing season, and built UCF into a national power, bringing the Knights five Sunshine State Conference regular season championships, one conference tournament championship and six NCAA tournament appearances in eight years. In 1978, Clark led the Knights, which at the time were riding a 24–game winning streak, to the Final Four in Minnesota. During his tenure, the Knights were ranked in the top 10 nationally for seven consecutive years.
Clarke earned Sunshine State Coach of the Year honors four times and won the conference’s coach of the decade award. While at UCF, Clark coached both of his sons, Bo and Mike. All three men are members of the UCF Athletic Hall of Fame, and Clark is a member of the Sunshine State Conference Hall of Fame. Bo is the Knight’s all-time leading scorer with Mike second on the list, and as a freshman in 1976 Bo was the nation's leading scorer. The father-son duo were featured in a 1979 Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
issue.
On February 26, 1983, Clark coached his last game as a Knight, with UCF falling to Florida Southern
Florida Southern College
Florida Southern College is a private college located in Lakeland, Florida, United States. It was selected by U.S...
. During his tenure, Clark's squads went 274–89 (.754), winning 20 or more games in a year on seven occasions. Clark enjoyed a 71–13 (.845) record in the Sunshine State Conference. In the decade after Clark retired, the Knights had only one winning season, the year after he left.
Inter-years: Machock, Carter and Dean
Replacing the legendary Torchy Clark would prove impossible for his successors. The three men that would replace him, went a combined 96–180 (.347) in 10 seasons. Hired to be Clark's replacement, Chuck Machock, an assistant coach at Ohio State, took the helm for the 1983–84 season. That year, Machock led the Knights to a 15–13 record, earning the teams sixth Sunshine State Conference regular season championship in their final year in the conference. The next year, UCF ascended to the ranks of Division I, earning a 10–18 record under Machock in what would be the Knights first losing season, and Machock's final season with the team. In two seasons, Machock led the Knights to a 25–31 (.446) record.Following their first losing season, the Knights hired Phil Carter. Carter would coach the Knights for four years, earning a 34–76 (.309) record. In his first year with the team, the Knights suffered a disappointing 6–22 record. The next year, Carter engineered one of the top improvements in the nation, leading UCF to a 12–15 campaign. From there the club would falter under his lead, earning 9 and 7 win seasons respectively. Carter finished his tenure without a winning season, manufacturing a 34–76 (.309) record.
Coming from Birmingham-Southern, coach Joe Dean replaced Carter. Dean led the Knights through a tumultuous four-year period, with two conference affiliation changes. In his second year with the team, UCF joined the American South Conference, the team's first affiliation since joining Division I. The next year the conference became the Sun Belt Conference, and the next year the Knights joined the Atlantic Sun Conference. In 1991, the Knights moved from their original home-court, which was in the education building, to the UCF Arena
The Venue at UCF Arena
The Venue at UCF is a multi-purpose arena located at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida, USA. The arena which was opened in 1991, is home to the UCF's volleyball teams and serves as a practice facility for the university's basketball teams...
(now known as the Old UCF Arena). In their last game in the education gymnasium, the team lost to Louisiana-Lafayette 85–94 on February 23, 1991. On November 30, 1991, the Knights posted a 82–74 victory over Campbell
Campbell University
Campbell University is a coeducational, church-related university in rural North Carolina, USA. Its main campus is located in the community of Buies Creek; its law school moved from Buies Creek to a new campus in the state capital of Raleigh in 2009. Campbell has an approximately equal number of...
in their first game in the new arena. In his four seasons with the Knights, Dean earned a 37–73 (.336) record. Like his predecessor, Dean did not enjoy a single winning season during his tenure.
Speraw era
Following the departure of Joe Dean, on July 28, 1993, Kirk SperawKirk Speraw
Kirk Speraw is currently an assistant basketball coach for the University of Iowa Hawkeyes, under Head Coach Fran McCaffery. He is the former head basketball coach at the University of Central Florida, in Orlando, Florida...
, an assistant coach at Florida
Florida Gators basketball
The Florida Gators have two Gator basketball programs:*Men's*Women's...
, was hired as the Knights new head coach. During his 17-year tenure, Speraw led the Knights to four Atlantic Sun Conference tournament champions, one regular season championship, and all four of their NCAA tournament appearances (94, 96, 04, 05).
When Speraw took the helm in 1993, UCF had only one winning season since Torchy Clark left a decade earlier. In his first year with the team, Speraw led the Knights to an 11-game turnaround (21–9), earning the team their first Division I NCAA Tournament Appearance. After a down 1994 season, Speraw once again led the Knights to an NCAA Tournament appearance in 1996, their second in his first three years. In the teams last two years in the Atlantic Sun Conference, the Knights won both the 2004 and 2005 conference tournaments, and were the 2005 regular season champions as well. Despite their success, the Knights have never progressed passed the first round of the NCAA Tournament as a Division I team. UCF made its debut in Conference USA in 2005, and the team earned a birth in the Conference USA Championship Tournament in their first year. The Knights would fall to Houston in the second round and close out the season with the program's first losing record (14–15) since 2000–2001. The Knights made a huge turnaround in the 2006–07 season, finishing 2nd in conference play to Memphis
University of Memphis
The University of Memphis is an American public research university located in the Normal Station neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee and is the flagship public research university of the Tennessee Board of Regents system....
with an overall record of 22–9. Speraw won 2007 Conference USA Coach of the Year honors.
The Knights would play their first game in the new UCF Arena
UCF Arena
The UCF Arena is a multi-purpose arena complex located on the main campus of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida, USA. It is the home to the UCF Knights men's and women's basketball teams...
on November 3, 2007, an 86–78 win over the Saint Leo Lions
Saint Leo University
Saint Leo University is a private, non-profit, Roman Catholic liberal arts university established in 1889 and located in Saint Leo, Florida, 35 miles north of Tampa. The University is associated with the Holy Name Monastery, a Benedictine convent, and Saint Leo Abbey, a Benedictine monastery...
. In their first regular-season game in the new arena, the Knights would win 63–60 over the Nevada Wolf Pack
Nevada Wolf Pack men's basketball
The Nevada Wolf Pack basketball program is a college basketball team that represents the University of Nevada, Reno. The team is currently a member of the Western Athletic Conference, which is a Division I conference in the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
, on November 11, 2007. In thrilling fashion, the Knights defeated the Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Tulsa Golden Hurricane athletics programs include the extramural and intramural sports team of the University of Tulsa. These teams are referred to as the Tulsa Golden Hurricane...
in triple overtime 97–91 in front of an announced crowd of 7,097, in their first home C-USA game in the arena on January 11, 2008.
Central Florida defeats Tulsa 97-91 in three overtimes In what would be his final season with the team, on February 2, 2010, the Knights defeated the East Carolina Pirates
East Carolina Pirates men's basketball
The East Carolina Pirates men's basketball team represents East Carolina University in NCAA Division I college basketball and competes in Conference USA...
67–56, earning Speraw his 275th win at UCF, passing Torchy Clark as the winningest coach in program history.
Following a disappointing 2009–10 season
2009–10 UCF Knights men's basketball team
The 2009–10 UCF Knights men's basketball team was a NCAA Division I college basketball team that represented the University of Central Florida and competed in Conference USA. They played their home games at the UCF Arena in Orlando, Florida...
in which the Knights went 15–17, the university decided not to retain Kirk Speraw
Kirk Speraw
Kirk Speraw is currently an assistant basketball coach for the University of Iowa Hawkeyes, under Head Coach Fran McCaffery. He is the former head basketball coach at the University of Central Florida, in Orlando, Florida...
bringing an end to his 17-year tenure. Speraw garnered a school-high 279 wins (on 233 losses–.544), including 118–90 (.567) in the Atlantic Sun and 40–38 (.512) in Conference USA.
Jones era
On March 30, 2010, UCF announced Donnie Jones as the university's new Men's Basketball Head Coach. On December 1, 2010, the Knights upset the #16 Florida GatorsFlorida Gators men's basketball
The Florida Gators men's basketball team represents the University of Florida in the sport of basketball. The Gators compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Southeastern Conference...
57–54 giving the Knights their first victory over a top 20 opponent as well as their first victory over the Gators. Following a 10–0 start to the 2010–11 season
2010–11 UCF Knights men's basketball team
The 2010–11 UCF Knights men's basketball team was a NCAA Division I college basketball team that represented the University of Central Florida and competed in Conference USA...
, the Knights were nationally ranked for the first time in program history at the Division I level. At the time, UCF was one of nine unbeaten teams, and one of only four schools to be ranked in the BCS standings and the AP basketball poll. The Knights would continue to start the season 14–0, their best start since moving to Division I, ranking as high as #18, and would open conference play with a defeat of Jones' former team, the Marshall Thundering Herd
Marshall Thundering Herd
The Marshall Thundering Herd are the intercollegiate athletic teams that collectively represent the Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Thundering Herd athletic teams compete in Conference USA, which are members of the NCAA Division I...
. UCF would finish the season 21–12 (6–10), with an appearance in the College Basketball Invitational
2011 College Basketball Invitational
The 2011 College Basketball Invitational was a single-elimination tournament of 16 NCAA Division I teams that did not participate in the 2011 NCAA Tournament nor the 2011 National Invitation Tournament. The opening round began Tuesday, March 15...
.
Jones led the Knights to the biggest win in program history, when on November 25, 2011 they defeated the defending national champions
2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The following sites were selected to host each round of the 2011 tournament:First Four*March 15 and 16**University of Dayton Arena, Dayton, OhioSecond and third rounds*March 17 and 19**Verizon Center, Washington, D.C....
and then-ranked #4 Connecticut Huskies
2011–12 Connecticut Huskies men's basketball team
The 2011–12 Connecticut Huskies men's basketball team represents the University of Connecticut in the 2011–2012 NCAA Division I basketball season. The Huskies are coached by Jim Calhoun and play their home games at the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut, and on campus at the Harry A. Gampel...
68–63 in the inaugural Battle 4 Atlantis
Battle 4 Atlantis
The Battle 4 Atlantis is a Kerzner International owned and operated preseason college basketball tournament that takes place in late November of each year, at Atlantis Resorts on Paradise Island in Nassau, Bahamas usually the week before Thanksgiving. The tournament is known for being the richest...
tournament.
Coaches
| cellpadding="1" border="1" cellspacing="0" width="80%" class="wikitable"> | Tenure | Coach | Years | Record | Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969–1983 | Torchy Clark Torchy Clark Eugene "Torchy" Clark was an American college basketball coach. He was the first head coach of the UCF Knights men's basketball team that represents the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. Then named Florida Technological University, Clark served as the university's head basketball... |
14 | 274–89 | .754 |
| 1983–1985 | Chuck Machock | 2 | 25–31 | .446 |
| 1985–1989 | Phil Carter | 4 | 34–76 | .309 |
| 1989–1993 | Joe Dean | 4 | 37–73 | .336 |
| 1993–2010 | Kirk Speraw Kirk Speraw Kirk Speraw is currently an assistant basketball coach for the University of Iowa Hawkeyes, under Head Coach Fran McCaffery. He is the former head basketball coach at the University of Central Florida, in Orlando, Florida... |
17 | 279–233 | .544 |
| 2010–Present | Donnie Jones | 1 | 21–12 | .636 |
| Totals | 6 coaches | 42 seasons | 670–514 | .566 |
| Records are through the conclusion of the 2010–2011 NCAA Season. | ||||
Home courts
| UCF Knight's men's basketball historical venues | |
|---|---|
| Education Gymnasium | 1969–1991 |
| Old UCF Arena The Venue at UCF Arena The Venue at UCF is a multi-purpose arena located at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida, USA. The arena which was opened in 1991, is home to the UCF's volleyball teams and serves as a practice facility for the university's basketball teams... |
1991–2007 |
| UCF Arena UCF Arena The UCF Arena is a multi-purpose arena complex located on the main campus of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida, USA. It is the home to the UCF Knights men's and women's basketball teams... |
2007–present |
The Knight's first permanent home was in the College of Education's gymnasium. Seating under 1,000, this court served the team for over 20 years. The UCF Arena, now known as the Old UCF Arena or The Venue, broke ground in 1990 and opened for play in 1991. The Knights played their final season in the venue in 2007, going 15–1 at home only losing to the Elite Eight
Elite Eight
The term Elite Eight, or less commonly called "Great Eight", refers to the final eight teams in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship or the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship; and, thus, represents the national quarterfinals. In Division I, the Elite Eight consists of the...
bound Memphis Tigers
Memphis Tigers
The Memphis Tigers represent the University of Memphis in Division I of the NCAA. They are members of C-USA and currently feature nine women's sports and nine men's sports...
. The final game saw UCF defeating East Carolina 77–64 in front of 3,725 people. UCF averaged a then-school record 2,706 average attendance during the season.
UCF moved into its new home for the 2007–2008 season, the 10,000 seat UCF Arena. The Knights opened up their new arena against the reigning Western Athletic Conference
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
champion Nevada Wolf Pack
Nevada Wolf Pack men's basketball
The Nevada Wolf Pack basketball program is a college basketball team that represents the University of Nevada, Reno. The team is currently a member of the Western Athletic Conference, which is a Division I conference in the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
on November 11, 2007 in front of a crowd of 4,668. The attendance record in the new Arena is 9,825, which was set on January 10, 2009 against the Memphis Tigers
Memphis Tigers basketball
The Memphis Tigers men's basketball team represents the University of Memphis in NCAA Division I men's college basketball. The Tigers compete in Conference USA, in which they have won six regular season and four conference tournament championships. As of 2011, the Tigers have the 29th highest...
.
Student section
When the basketball program moved into the new New UCF Arena in the fall of 2007, the facility could hold more students than ever before. To go along with its new facility and its new commitment to basketball, a new student section was formed. The "Knightmare" debuted on January 11, 2008. Adorned in their black Knightmare shirts, the students completely filled the bleachered section behind the basket and the overflow section in the upper deck. In what will go down as one of the greatest basketball games in UCF basketball history, the Knights defeated Tulsa 97–91 in triple overtime in front of a then-record crowd of 7,097 fans.One of UCF's most unique basketball traditions is its free throw chant. Started by the "Kirk's Jerks" in the 1990's, UCF fans started holding their right arms with clenched fists almost straight up when a UCF player shoots a free throw. When the basketball is made, the fans would stomp their right foot twice, clap their hands twice, make a shooting motion with their right hand while chanting "woosh." In the more recent years, after the appropriately named Stomp Stomp, Clap Clap, Woosh chant, fans will chant U-C-F afterwards, making a U, a C, and an F over their heads. During the 2010-2011 season, a group of students attempted to start a new tradition; if a UCF player makes all of his free throws, the chant is followed by "ballin'." Stomp Stomp, Clap Clap, Woosh, U-C-F is one of the most unique free throw chants in all of college basketball.
There is also another tradition where if the opponent goes for a shot and gets an "air ball," the chants ring out the entire game for that one player. It's been shown as an effective way to get into the player's mind.
Knights in the NBA
- Mark JonesMark Jones (basketball)Mark Jones is a professional basketball player, formerly in the NBA. He was undrafted after a career at the University of Central Florida, and at the age of 30 entered the NBA with the Orlando Magic, during the 2004-05 NBA season, averaging 2.3 points per game in ten total games. .-External links:*...
(Orlando MagicOrlando MagicThe Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
) - Stan KimbroughStan KimbroughStan Kimbrough is a retired American professional basketball player.The 5'11" and 153 lb point guard attended both the University of Central Florida and Xavier University...
(Detroit PistonsDetroit PistonsThe Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
, Golden State WarriorsGolden State WarriorsThe Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, and Sacramento KingsSacramento KingsThe Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
) - Jermaine TaylorJermaine Taylor (basketball)Jermaine Taylor is an American professional basketball player. Taylor was a starting guard for the University of Central Florida basketball team...
(Houston RocketsHouston RocketsThe Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
and Sacramento KingsSacramento KingsThe Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
)
See also
- UCF Knights women's basketballUCF Knights women's basketballThe UCF Knights women's basketball team represents the University of Central Florida located in Orlando, Florida. The Knights compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Eastern Division of Conference USA . They play their home games in the UCF Arena located on the...
- University of Central Florida Knights
- List of UCF Knights men's basketball seasons
Further reading
- Holic, Nathan, and the UCF Alumni Association. University of Central Florida: The Campus History Series (2009), ISBN 978-0738567686