University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Host Central Florida Tuesday Night at The Barn
12/11/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Game No. 12
MINNESOTA (4-7)
vs.
Central Florida (6-0)
DECEMBER 12, 2006 • 7 p.m.
Williams Arena • Minneapolis, Minn.
Television: none
RADIO: Gopher Radio Network - Mike Grimm, PBP; Kevin Lynch, analyst
STORYLINES
• The Gophers play their last game before taking a break for final exams.
• This is the first meeting between the two schools. The Gophers are 14-14 all-time versus Conference USA schools. Minnesota is 0-1 this season losing at UAB last week. Central Florida is 0-5 all-time vs. the Big Ten Conference.
• Central Florida is one of just nine undefeated teams in the nation through games of Dec. 10, joining Oklahoma State (11-0), Clemson (10-0), Pittsburgh (10-0), Connecticut (8-0), UCLA (8-0), Oregon (7-0), Southern Miss (7-0) and Wichita State (7-0).
MATCHUP
Minnesota continues to have to bounce back from tough defeats after losing a heartbreaker on Saturday to Arkansas-Little Rock at home, 67-66. It won’t be an easy task facing one of just nine undefeated squads in the nation, the Central Florida Golden Knights from Conference USA. UCF ventures away from the sunshine state for its first road test of the season. The Golden Knights have rattled off six straight home wins, all against in-state opponents, for their best start since the 1979-80 season.
SCOUTING the Golden Knights
UCF is off to its best start under current head coach Kirk Speraw, who is now in his 15th season with the Golden Knights. A 1980 graduate of the University of Iowa, Speraw took over the program in 1993 and has led the program to four NCAA appearances in his tenure. The Golden Knights are led by sophomore Jermaine Taylor. Despite coming off the bench, Taylor is averaging 17.5 points per contest and has led the squad in scoring in four of six games this season. As a team, UCF is shooting an impressive .523 from the floor and .430 from beyond the arc. Taylor leads both categories with a .603 (17-31) shooting percentage and hitting at a .548 clip (17-31) from long range.
