UCF basketball preview: Knights host ECU on Senior Night

CUSA Fans new UCF Correspondent Ryan Westin brings us a preview of the basketball game between the UCF Golden Knights and the ECU Pirates.

The Golden Knights will close the door to the UCF Arena this Saturday night as they play their last game in the arena as they host East Carolina on Senior night. Seniors Josh Peppers, Lavell Payne and Adam Gill will be honored before the Pirates and Knights play their last game of the regular season. UCF comes into the regular season finale with a 21-8 this season and locked up second place after a overtime victory over Houston on Wednesday to push their conference record to 10-5.

The Golden Knights will play final game at The UCF Arena.  Unless UCF were to host an NIT game (or more), it will be their final game in their current home as they'll be moving into their brand new arena for the 2007-2008 season.

East Carolina comes into Orlando Saturday with a record of 6-22 on the season and 1-14 in conference play. The Pirates were able to defeat UTEP at home last week 79-78.  The Pirates led the Miners at the half 49-38 in their first conference win of the season.

Earlier this season, the Knights were able to ride the hot hand of Josh Peppers who scored 24 points against the Pirates and finished the night 9-10 from the field. UCF was able to put the Pirates away in the second half and cruise to a 67-49 victory.

Key To the Game

What? I Could Not Hear You

East Carolina has won only one game on the road this season in a victory over NC-Greensboro and are 1-13 away from Greenville this season. This is not a night to play the Knights at home as the crowd should be very animated and loud as it will not only be senior night but the curtain call of the UCF Arena. Attendance in the last few games has been near record levels including a packed house during their huge win over Houston Wednesday.   

Look for both the Knights on the floor and in the stands to be charged up in this game of many lasts for the University of Central Florida men's basketball program. UCF has had two of the top three attendances in school history this year against Memphis and Houston. Look for a large crowd to send off the Knights.

ONE
One more game in the UCF Arena, one more senior night, one more time the Knights will call the UCF Arena home as the Knights move next door to the Convocation Center next season. Here is to all the memories and magical moments that have happened on that court and to all the firsts that will happen next year next door.

MOD
Last year Mike O'Donnell (a sophomore at the time) was able to steal the show on senior night going 6-6 from behind the arc on his way to 23 points in an upset victory over UTEP. O'Donnell was able to be the star of the victory over Houston this Wednesday as he came though and came through big with a game winning three with 28 seconds left in overtime that flushed around the rim and in.

Who's Next? Who Knows?
The Knights have locked up the two seed in the Conference USA tournament and now will face the the winner of the seven seed/ten seed. Right now in the standings that could be just about anyone as six teams are separated by one game at 8-7 or 7-8 with UTEP close behind with a record of 6-9. Who ever it will be, the Knights look like they have much more energy going into the tournament than last year when they were blown out of the second round by Houston. Even Head Coach Kirk Speraw turned around to the crowd with under four minutes to go in the second half as he started yelling at the crowd with fire in his eyes and waving his arms in the air to turn up the volume in arena and the pressure on the Cougars. Whoever the Knights play in the tournament needs to come prepared as this is definitely not the same 7-7 squad from last year, and judging by the Knights demeanor this is a squad that definitely wants to do well and return to the NCAA tournament.