Three in Double-Figures in 75-68 Loss at UCF

Friday, November 8

Orlando, Fla.

7 PM

Purdue Fort Wayne

1-1,0-0Horizon

UCF

2-0,0-0Big 12

Purdue Fort Wayne

UCF

Quinton Morton-Robertson (photo by Tyler Thomas)

11/8/2024 9:32:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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ORLANDO – The Mastodon men's basketball team fell 75-68 at Big 12 member UCF on Friday (Nov. 8) evening. The game featured eight ties and five lead changes. It was a two-point Mastodon lead with under six minutes left before the Knights pulled away in the final minutes.

Both teams were slow out of the gates. After Rasheed Bello drained a three 32 seconds in, neither team had a scored until Quinton Morton-Robertson made a trey at 13:56 to put the 'Dons up 6-0.

Purdue Fort Wayne went to the break down 34-33 thanks to key production inside and off the bench in the first 20 minutes. Eric Mulder had nine points in the first half with four offensive rebounds. A three by Deangelo Elisee was part of the Mastodons' 12 bench points in the first half.

Purdue Fort Wayne scored the first six points of the second half and forced a quick UCF timeout. Jalen Jackson converted a layup after a steal on the other end to cause the timeout.

UCF didn't tie the game until a dunk by Benny Williams with 11:57 at 48. UCF brought backcourt pressure after the hoop and Jackson responded by making a turn around one handed jumper in the paint to put the 'Dons back up.

Bello turned in his third 3-pointer of the game with 6:57 left to put the 'Dons ahead 64-60. But eight consecutive UCF points followed to give the lead back to the Knights. A Morton-Robertson three put the 'Dons within two at 68-66 with 2:17 left, but it would be as close as the 'Dons would get the rest of the way.

Mulder (11), Morton-Robertson (11) and Jackson (10) each finished in double-digits for the 'Dons. Purdue Fort Wayne limited UCF to 2-of-20 from three, but saw the Knights go 23-of-30 from the free throw line to make up for the misses beyond the arc. The 'Dons were 8-of-29 from three and 4-of-7 from the line.

UCF improves to 2-0. The 'Dons fall to 1-1. Purdue Fort Wayne returns to the Summit City on Tuesday (Nov. 12) evening against Bethune-Cookman. It will be a 7 p.m. tip at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. The Mastodon women will host Defiance at 4 p.m. as part of a single-admission doubleheader. It is the Mastodons' annual Defend the Fort Night with a t-shirt giveaway thanks to Visit Fort Wayne. The Performance Dogs of Ohio will perform at halftime of both games.

~ Feel The Rumble ~