Spring Break
Golden Knights riding just as high
Chris Licata
Issue date: 3/18/05 Section: Sports
WORCESTER, Mass. - The excitement of day one of the NCAA Tournament has not hit here, yet. The sleepy second tier city took a back seat to Tucson, Indianapolis, Cleveland and, yes, even Boise, Idaho - all of which played host to first round matchups Thursday.
The DCU Center played host to an assortment of media types from all over the country as both players and coaches gave what may be their farewell addresses. Tomorrow eight teams will fight for their lives in this arena in part of a 64 team battle royal that spans all across the country. So Thursday, players and coaches had one last chance to say their piece before diving into the tournament head first.
Central Florida coach Kirk Speraw sat anxiously at a long blue table atop a stage in a curtained off section of the media workroom. Calmly answering question after question about his underdog No. 15 seed Golden Knights, one couldn't help but get the impression he was ready to get out to the court and coach his squad in anticipation for their matchup with the No. 2 seeded Huskies.
"If you look back at UConn over the past 10 games or so it hasn't been just one guy for them," Speraw said. "It's been [Josh] Boone one game, [Charlie] Villanueva another and then you got [Denham] Brown and Rashad [Anderson] who's back now - there are just so many pieces they can go to if somebody's off."
The Golden Knights have been here before. Last season as a No. 14, seed UCF lost a heartbreaker to No. 3 Pittsburgh in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, 53-44. Having trailed by as little as four at halftime, the Golden Knights gave the Panthers all they could handle before bowing out.
"I don't think we'll be relaxed, but they feel good about themselves and I think they respect UConn, but they won't go in white-eyed." Speraw said. "I think they'll step out there and compete. I think we have four players that played last year against Pittsburgh. I would hope that they would come in with an attitude of enjoying this experience."
The DCU Center played host to an assortment of media types from all over the country as both players and coaches gave what may be their farewell addresses. Tomorrow eight teams will fight for their lives in this arena in part of a 64 team battle royal that spans all across the country. So Thursday, players and coaches had one last chance to say their piece before diving into the tournament head first.
Central Florida coach Kirk Speraw sat anxiously at a long blue table atop a stage in a curtained off section of the media workroom. Calmly answering question after question about his underdog No. 15 seed Golden Knights, one couldn't help but get the impression he was ready to get out to the court and coach his squad in anticipation for their matchup with the No. 2 seeded Huskies.
"If you look back at UConn over the past 10 games or so it hasn't been just one guy for them," Speraw said. "It's been [Josh] Boone one game, [Charlie] Villanueva another and then you got [Denham] Brown and Rashad [Anderson] who's back now - there are just so many pieces they can go to if somebody's off."
The Golden Knights have been here before. Last season as a No. 14, seed UCF lost a heartbreaker to No. 3 Pittsburgh in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, 53-44. Having trailed by as little as four at halftime, the Golden Knights gave the Panthers all they could handle before bowing out.
"I don't think we'll be relaxed, but they feel good about themselves and I think they respect UConn, but they won't go in white-eyed." Speraw said. "I think they'll step out there and compete. I think we have four players that played last year against Pittsburgh. I would hope that they would come in with an attitude of enjoying this experience."