The Knights may not be going dancing, but they are still playing. An NIT invitation in Coach Johnny Dawkins first season with UCF, a major step in the right direction.
“This is an opportunity, like I said, to play for a National Championship. Only 32 teams in this tournament,” said Coach Dawkins. “You have an opportunity to continue to grow and get better and also maybe to do something special.”
The Knights finish the season with a winning record of 21-11, 11-7 in league play, a signature win over a No. 15 ranked Cincinnati in late February and an appearance in the semifinals of the conference tournament.
And now - they’ll play on, hosting Colorado in the first round of the NIT tourney, their first appearance since 2012.
“Nobody wanted this season to end,” said redshirt junior AJ Davis. “We are such a close team, we’ve had a great season and we just want to keep on playing. So to be able to play another game on our home floor, it’s just a great opportunity.”
The Knights may not have made the big one - the NCAA’s field of 68 - but they aren’t losing sight of the positives.
“This is us getting somewhere so I think that is how we look at it as, if we want to prove to people that we should have or could have been in the NCAA tournament,” said Davis.”
“I think the experience gain is great for our guys,” said Dawkins. “Anytime you play this late in the season, it’s a great opportunity for growth.”
It’s already been a major turnaround in Coach Dawkins first season. But a couple more wins wouldn’t hurt. “We are trying to put together a full 40 minutes, so we got to do it now or that’s it,” said leading scorer and redshirt sophomore BJ Taylor.
The future is bright for the Knights. An NIT tournament bid this year, and with few leaving, and many transfers becoming eligible for the 2017-18 season, next year can be even better.