It will be completely comprehensible if the UCF males’s basketball staff wished to shortly neglect concerning the 51-point loss to No. 7 Kansas on Sunday.
It was a dismal efficiency from begin to end because the Knights misplaced 99-48, tying a mark for the second-worst loss in program historical past.
However that’s not what coach Johnny Dawkins desires from his staff.
“You continue to need to bear in mind it as a result of we now have to be taught some classes on this recreation,” a somber Dawkins mentioned following the loss. “You need to bear in mind the teachings. What do we now have to do to get higher? After which have a look at fixing these issues.”
Senior guard Dallan Coleman echoed this sentiment: “We’re going to be taught from it and transfer on.”
Kansas dominated UCF (10-3, 1-1 Huge 12) in nearly each space on the court docket, however probably the most placing was the distinction within the factors within the paint, the place the Jayhawks held a 62-10 benefit.
KU’s All-American middle Hunter Dickinson scored 21 of his game-high 27 factors within the first half. The Knights struggled to comprise the fifth-year senior, significantly after middle Moustapha Thiam acquired into foul bother early within the recreation.
“Now we have to take pleasure in how we defend, all around the flooring, however particularly within the paint,” mentioned Dawkins. “Our guys perceive we now have to make it troublesome for them to attain across the basket, after which we will’t give them second- and third-shot makes an attempt.”
Kansas capitalized on its offensive rebounds, scoring 37 second-chance factors and grabbing 22 offensive boards. Whereas UCF ranks in the course of the pack for offensive rebounds at 12.3 per recreation, it sits final within the convention for opponent rebounds at 38.2. This has been a focus for Dawkins and his staff this season.
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“I all the time inform our guys {that a} lesson realized is normally robust,” he mentioned. “We realized a tricky lesson right now. Now we have to proceed engaged on it, work on it with a function and guarantee that we’re chipping away and getting higher at it as we transfer ahead. It’s not occurring in a single day. It’s a course of.
“I can’t sprinkle magic mud on them; they only have it instantly. It is going to be steady laborious work on the basic issues we should do to succeed.”
So as to add insult to harm, as Kansas elevated its lead all through the sport, UCF started urgent on offense. The Knights shot a season-worst 20% (14 of 68) from the ground.
“No shot is value 10 or 14 factors,” Dawkins mentioned. “So that you may as properly proceed to play and make connecting performs and chip away as a substitute of pondering I can do all of it myself and forcing photographs. If you drive photographs, these find yourself being dangerous photographs and photographs that result in transition [buckets].”
The fast photographs led to straightforward photographs as Kansas shot 50% in the course of the recreation — 7% greater than opponents have been capturing towards the Knights this season.
It is going to be a fast turnaround as Colorado (9-4, 0-2 Huge 12) involves Addition Monetary Area on Wednesday.
It’s the third assembly between the 2 applications general and the second in Orlando. UCF holds a 1-0 residence document after defeating the Buffaloes 79-74 within the Nationwide Invitation Event on March 15, 2017.
Colorado is winless (0-1) in precise street video games this season and has misplaced back-to-back video games to open convention play.
Though Sunday’s loss left Dawkins disillusioned, he’s assured that his staff will rise to the problem.
“I consider in my guys,” he mentioned. “My guys are adequate to be aggressive in our convention, and we now have to work at it with that perception and keep related as a staff.”
Matt Murschel might be reached at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com
UP NEXT
Colorado at UCF
When: 7 p.m., Wednesday, Addition Monetary Area
TV: ESPN+