Pitt and UCF — a pair of promising four-win teams — square off in the annual Legends Classic on Thursday in Daytona Beach, Fla.
The event enters its 19th season with the Panthers (4-1) and Knights (4-1) in the showcase game. Pitt claimed Legends Classic titles in 2013 and 2008.
The last time the teams met was in the first round of the 2004 NCAA Tournament, when Pitt prevailed 53-44.
It figures to be a competitive matchup, as Pitt and UCF feature a clash of styles: Pitt’s stingy defense limited Bucknell to 13 total field goals on Monday, while UCF averaged 89 points across its opening five contests thanks to 47.7% shooting (51 of 107) from 3-point range.
UCF defeated visiting Oakland 87-83 on Monday as transfer guard Riley Kugel had 18 points to surpass 1,000 for his career. The former Florida Gator and Mississippi State Bulldog has helped fuel UCF’s long-range shooting with 16 made 3-pointers in 28 attempts.
“We’re not worried about any game in the past,” Knights coach Johnny Dawkins said following the latest victory. “These games are over and we’ll take the lessons we’ve learned from the games that we’ve competed (in) and try to get better the next time we go out on the court. We know we’re going to face another tough test.
“Our mindset needs to be one in which we’re focused solely on Pitt and not anything else that’s around us. Just focus on what’s in front of us and prepare for them.”
One Pitt player the Knights will have to prepare for is Cameron Corhen. The 6-foot-10 senior is not only shooting 62.5% from the floor and scoring 14 points per game, but he also is averaging 9.8 rebounds, punctuated by a career-high 13 against Longwood on Nov. 7.
The Panthers blitzed Bucknell 84-50 as South Alabama transfer Barry Dunning Jr. scored 23 points in 278 minutes off the bench. He shot 7 of 11 from 3-point range.
UCF coach Jeff Capel was pleased to see his team’s response after a lopsided setback at rival West Virginia four days earlier.
“I think it’s just important to have this performance coming off of a loss,” Capel said postgame Monday. “As a coach, you don’t know how you’re going to respond when you come off of a loss, especially when you come off of a (71-49) loss like that. It’s a rivalry, we did not play well (and) we didn’t play anywhere like we’re capable of playing.”
