UCF Advances To University Hoops Classic Championship
Nov 30, 2002 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 30, 2002
NEW ORLEANS, La. - Ray Abellard and Ed Dotson provided a deadly inside-outside combo to lift UCF to a win over the University of Maine, 72-55, on Saturday afternoon at Fogelman Arena. The victory earned the Golden Knights a slot in the Championship game of the University Hoops Classic to be played on Sunday at 5 p.m. against Indiana State.
Indiana State lost to Wisconsin-Milwaukee in Saturday's first game, but advances to the Championship after winning the tiebreaker over Milwaukee and Southeast Missouri.
The third place game will feature host Tulane against Southeast Missouri State at 3 p.m., while Milwaukee and Maine open Sunday's triple-header action at 1 p.m.
UCF (3-1) held a 34-31 edge over Maine (1-3) at halftime and the Black Bears tied the game at 36 on a Derrick Jackson jumper with 18:31 to go in the game. However, a drop-step dunk from Dotson put the Knights back on top for good.
Dotson was a force inside with 20 points, seven rebounds and three blocks, while Abellard connected for 26 points, nailing 5-of-10 shots from three-point range.
Maine was led by Eric Dobson and Clayton Brown, who each scored 12 points. Brown added eight rebounds in the loss.
Back-to-back hoops from Dobson and Brown pulled the Black Bears within two at 51-49 with 9:31 to go, but Abellard knocked down a long jumper and Dotson went above the rim to tip in a Knight miss to ignite an 8-1 run which put the game out of reach for Maine.
UCF shot 49.1 percent (28-of-57) from the field, while holding Maine to just 40.7 percent (22-of-54) shooting. The Golden Knights also owned a 38-26 advantage on the glass. UCF connected on all nine of its free throws while Maine was five-for-nine from the line.
