Photo Courtesy of UCF AA

Knights held to a season-low against Austin Peay

UCF women’s basketball overcame Austin Peay’s fourth-quarter surge, narrowly winning 64-59 on Wednesday night at Addition Financial Arena. 

The Governors nearly rallied in the fourth quarter with two 10-point scoring runs and held the Knights (3-1, 0-0 Big 12) to a season low of seven points in a single quarter while shooting 2-for-6.

“Credit to Austin Peay; [they] did a great job of pressuring us and making it so difficult for us,” head coach Gabe Lazo said. “And it got to us. It wore us down.”

UCF’s offense exploded in the first quarter, as a 3-point jumper from senior guard Vittoria Blasigh ignited a 16-0 scoring run to hold the lead at 18-2. The Italian native led the Knights’ offensive charge, recording 18 points while shooting 6-for-10 from the field and 3-for-7 from three.

Blasigh credited her execution beyond the arc to her squad.

“I think it’s because of my teammates,” Blasigh said. “They always find me open, and they always give me the confidence every practice, so I’m glad I have them.”

Blasigh’s pull-up jumper capped off the final bucket of the quarter with UCF ahead 25-7.

Austin Peay (2-1, 0-0 UAC) put up more of a fight in the second quarter, improving to 17 points and notching a 46% field goal percentage, compared to its 23% in the first.

UCF kept the lead in its grasp, heading into halftime 39-24.

The Knights continued their consistent offense in the third quarter, though they were not prepared for an Austin Peay resurgence in the fourth. Governors guard Kiara Croskey’s driving layup began a 10-0 scoring run to close the gap to 59-47. 

Junior forward Mahogany Chandler-Roberts interpreted Austin Peay’s stride with a driving layup of her own. 

Croskey fired back with a second-chance jumper that started another 10-0 Governors’ scoring run to bring the contest to its closest, 61-57 with 1:24 remaining.

Free throws made by junior guard Key Roseby and Blasigh allowed the Knights to clinch the matchup, 64-59. 

Austin Peay’s fourth-quarter rally attempt benefited from its defense, netting 12 turnovers to the Knights’ zero, while holding the Knights to a season-low performance.

Despite the fourth-quarter struggles, Lazo said he’s looking on the brighter side of the Knights’ performance.

“These games happen,” Lazo said. “We closed the game out, called timeouts, got the ball in. We got the ball to the right people, and we were able to close the game, so that’s a big positive.”

UCF will continue its three-of-five homestand against LeMoyne College (1-2, 0-0 NEC) at 5:30 p.m. on Friday at Addition Financial Arena.