UCF hopes NCAA Tournament appearance lays a foundation for the future
PHILADELPHIA — A 20-minute car ride from Xfinity Mobile Arena sits arguably one of the most iconic symbols of underdog spirit. The Liberty Bell was created in 1751 and was rung to commemorate historic events, including the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. It was perhaps one of the biggest Cinderella stories in history as the colonies declared their independence from the perennial power of English rule under King George III.
One of the most famous underdogs in sports movies is just another short road trip away at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. That’s where the 9-foot bronze statue of fictional boxer Rocky Balboa, portrayed by actor Sylvester Stallone in the “Rocky” movies, can be found. Philadelphia is often known as the city of brotherly love, but it also proudly carries the title of the city of underdogs.
UCF may have been perceived as an underdog with a roster featuring 13 newcomers that returned zero production, which was picked to finish 14th in the Big 12 by coaches in their preseason poll, but that’s not how the Knights envisioned themselves. “I wouldn’t say we’re underdogs; we just came up short,” forward Jordan Burks said. “I thought we had a good group and we made a platform for years to come to show [future players] what it takes and what we need to do more.
” “I knew we could accomplish a lot more, but we made history,” added forward Devan Cambridge. “We had the most Big 12 wins in a season since joining the league three years ago. I’m proud of us because of all the new guys; it was hard getting close, and we did just that.
” UCF’s season came to a close after the Knights were defeated by UCLA, 75-71 , in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday. It was the first time the Knights were back in the 68-team field since the 2018-19 season . Johnny Dawkins ’ team finished with a 21-12 overall record, beginning with an 11-1 start that carried over into UCF winning a program-best nine conference games, including notable wins over No.
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