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Preview: Howard at Central Florida
After snapping a two-game losing streak with a win over Stetson last time out, Central Florida aims to build some momentum as it hosts Howard on Wednesday. The Knights saw their record fall to 3-3 after disappointing losses at Valparaiso and Florida Atlantic before righting the ship with a 77-58 victory Saturday. “It was huge,” coach Donnie Jones told UCFKnights.com of the win. “We are still trying to find out who we are, identity-wise. You have to go through adversity for that to happen.”
“We had some adversity,” added guard Isaiah Sykes. “We are just in the process of fighting through it and continuing to grind.” Freshman Brandon Goodwin set season bests with 11 points and 11 rebounds against the Hatters, giving Central Florida another weapon to complement leading scorers Sykes, Calvin Newell and Tristan Spurlock. Howard has dropped nine in a row after a 2-0 start, including seven on the road.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN3
ABOUT HOWARD (2-9): The Bison are 3-15 in their last 18 games dating back to last season and in their latest skid, the outcomes haven’t been close. Save for an 84-79 overtime setback to William & Mary, the other Howard losses has been by nine or more points with the average margin of defeat at 21.3. James Daniel is the Bison’s leading scorer, averaging 20.5 points – good for second among Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference players.
ABOUT CENTRAL FLORIDA (4-3): The meeting with Howard will be the second of seven in a row at home for the Knights, who are 34-7 on home court since the beginning of the 2011-12 season. After the visit from the Bison, Central Florida will host Jacksonville and Rio Grande before a return engagement with Valparaiso serves as its final tuneup before American Athletic Conference play begins when fourth-ranked Louisville comes to Orlando. Newell’s 17.4 points per game lead the Knights, while Sykes and Spurlock pitch in 16.4 and 12.9, respectively.
TIP-INS
1. Central Florida is 3-2 all-time against Howard, including a 62-45 victory last season in which Spurlock led all scorers with 15 points.
2. Newell led the Knights in scoring in four games and has reached double figures in every contest this season.
3. The Knights rank 350th in the nation, ahead of only Nicholls State, with a 53.3 percentage from the free throw line.
PREDICTION: Central Florida 84, Howard 60
