UCF Basketball: 3 keys for Knights to pull off upset over Houston Cougars

Use their height advantage!

No matter how many pundits adopt the theory that modern basketball is becoming positionless, size still matters on the basketball court. Hall of Fame NBA Coach Pat Riley was once a decorated collegiate player for the Kentucky Wildcats. When asked about the importance of rebounding during a game, the three-time Coach of the Year simply replied “No rebounds, no rings.” That just goes to show, the importance of interior dominance can never be overstated.

The UCF Knights are one of the tallest teams in the American Athletic Conference. They have five players between 6’8″ and 7’0″ tall. The team is capable of putting a frontline with NBA height on the court. Doing so would make it nearly impossible for Houston to dominate the glass the way they normally do. The Cougars have five players on their team who are 6’8″ or 6’9″ but cannot match UCF’s claim to having several players who are nearly 7 feet tall. Rebounds are a big part of Houston’s transition; they love to grab a rebound and throw an outlet pass to Sasser or Mark who are known to make heads-up plays in transition. If the Knights eliminate this possibility, the Cougars’ rhythm will be thrown off instantly.

The Knights’ best rebounder is 6’9″ freshman Taylor Hendricks, who is averaging 7.0 rebounds per game. Hendricks has a great vertical leap and elite timing. Many of his rebounds come from sheer athleticism as opposed to traditional boxing-out methods that are more fundamental. Still, placing him alongside 7’0″ senior Michael Durr will cause problems for Houston’s frontline. J’Wan Roberts and Jarace Walker are both excellent rebounders, but at 6’7″ and 6’8″ respectively they will have to be intentional about crashing the glass if they are going to overcome UCF’s height advantage.