When the UCF Knights (9-0) travel down to Sunrise Saturday to take on the Miami Hurricanes (7-2) as part of the Orange Bowl Classic, they will have a chance to take the program further into uncharted success.
While the victory against then No. 16 Florida Gators earlier this season in the Amway Center was arguably the biggest victory in the school's history, in any sport, and unanimously agreed upon as this season's "big game", a victory against Miami would potentially be just as big.
Beating the Hurricanes would complete a clean sweep for the Knights against in-state competition. The Knights have already beaten the lowly Stetson, Bethune-Cookman, and West Florida. A victory this Saturday would give the Knights three victories against schools from the big-time basketball conferences: the Big East (USF), SEC (Florida), and now perhaps the ACC (Miami).
And as an added incentive, the Knights would almost surely be catapulted into the Top 25 for the first time ever with a perfect record of 10-0.
"It'd be a big win for us and the program," said center Dwight McCombs.
As it stands now, UCF is unofficially ranked 26th in the Associated Press Poll. Exactly how unprecedented would beating three in-state schools from major conferences be? Here's a hint.
Prior to this season, USF was the only program of the three mentioned that UCF had ever beaten in basketball. The Knights were previously 0-9 against the Gators, and are currently 0-6 against Miami, the last meeting against the Hurricanes a 62-51 loss in 2002. While the victory against USF was the second in three years, the Knights still trail 6-19 all time in the series against the Bulls.
The advantage for the Knights in achieving an in-state sweep, aside from bragging rights, is in recruiting. Head coach Donnie Jones says these games in-state are chances to showcase the program to all of the states' top prep talent.
Jones, who has plenty of experience recruiting the state from his days as an assistant at Florida, doesn't hide that it is a priority to recruit in state.
"That's why we play those games," said Jones. "We want to recruit in our state."
The results of successful in-state recruiting are palpable for UCF. Forward Keith Clanton, the team's leading scorer at 17 points per game, is a local player out of Orlando Christian Prep. The Knights' recruiting class in-progress features three-star recruits SF Rod Days and PF Wayne Martin and two-star recruit PF Kasey Wilson. All three hail from the Sunshine State, shaping up what is a very promising recruitment class for Jones.
Continuing to play in-state opponents, and more importantly, beating them can only help to build the brand that Jones and his staff have talked about since arriving in Orlando.
"Your identity and your brand that you're selling everyday gets identified with success," said Jones. "Hopefully it's letting people know that we have a great school here and a great program and that we got a lot to offer."
On Saturday, UCF is going to need to contain Miami's dynamic guard duo of Durand Scott, averaging 13.6 points a game, and Malcolm Grant, averaging 13.8. Together, they have helped the Hurricanes to big wins over Ole Miss and West Virginia. The Hurricanes, however, have shown some inconsistencies, allowing close games against Stetson and Florida Gulf Coast, and losing to Rutgers in a game where the 'Canes only scored 45 points.
The Knights know it will take a complete effort to beat Miami.
"We can't go on spurts and run, we've got to play 40 minutes," said McCombs.
Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. at the BankAtlantic Center.
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