ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) – As the UCF Knights men’s basketball team entered a crucial home game against East Carolina, Head Coach Donnie Jones delivered a succinct yet powerful message. Before the tip-off, Jones wrote just one word on the locker room whiteboard: “Us.” This simple word encapsulated the team’s strategy as they navigated the final stretch of the regular season.
Jones emphasized to his players that their success was in their own hands. Regardless of what other teams in Conference USA were doing, the Knights needed to focus on their own performance and strengths. With four regular-season games remaining, beginning with a road matchup against Rice, UCF aimed to harness this internal focus to finish strong.
“It really is just about us and we control where us goes,” Jones stated. “If you want to make a move you let everybody else worry about themselves and we’ll just worry about what we can control and that’s about us. We’re in a situation with how the year has played out to make some moves and we have to start passing some people to the top. To do that, we have a chance to do it in the next four games.”
UCF, holding a 19-7 overall record and 8-4 in C-USA play, was within striking distance of the conference lead. They were just a single game behind Southern Miss and Memphis (both 9-3) and half a game behind Tulsa (9-4). The Knights’ remaining schedule included a home game against UTEP, followed by road and home contests against Memphis and UAB respectively. These games presented a critical opportunity to improve their conference standing and bolster their NCAA Tournament credentials.
Beyond vying for the C-USA title, UCF also aimed to secure a top-four seed in the conference tournament, guaranteeing a valuable first-round bye. They held a one-game lead over fifth-place Marshall in this crucial race.
The victory against East Carolina, a 64-55 win, marked UCF’s fourth in their last five games. This win was characterized by a balanced team effort, showcasing the Knights’ growing maturity. Notably, leading scorer Marcus Jordan scored only 10 points, making just two field goals. Coach Jones highlighted this as a sign of the team’s evolution.
“How many times have we been able to win before with Marcus taking just three shots?” Jones reflected. “But he was really sharing the ball and doing a good job of making the extra pass. The reason that we’ve won is because we’ve played together as a team. We don’t have to have one guy score a bunch of points for us anymore. We can win as a group. Whatever it has to be, we’re getting a good team effort every night which is good for your team to win.”
Senior point guard A.J. Rompza underscored the strong chemistry within the UCF squad, describing it as the closest-knit team he had experienced in his four years. He noted that the Knights frequently spent time together off the court, whether practicing late, sharing meals, or watching movies on road trips. This camaraderie, Rompza believes, was a key factor in their selfless, team-oriented approach. Remarkably, four different Knights – Keith Clanton, Isaiah Sykes, Marcus Jordan, and A.J. Rompza – had each led the team in scoring at various points throughout the season, demonstrating the shared offensive responsibility.
“This is the closest team and the best chemistry we’ve had as a team since in my four years here,” Rompza affirmed. “Guys hang out with one another and get along with one another and they don’t care who scores. That’s why we’re being successful.”
Coach Jones’ “Us” mantra also extended to the team’s resilience and ability to win in challenging road environments. He expressed satisfaction with the team’s mental and physical development compared to the previous season, which had enabled them to overcome adversity throughout the year.
“This team has found a way to play fast, play slow, play physical or whatever we need to do on that night,” Jones concluded. “We couldn’t win these kind of games last year, but we’re winning them now.”
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