"Finish" has been the theme for the Knights (8-3, 6-1) all
season long and the players and coaches have been reminding each other of that
quite a bit this week. UCF head coach George O'Leary certainly reiterated that
to the media during his Tuesday press conference.
"We have to finish," O'Leary said. "That's the marketing
term that we've used and I think it's a good term and that's what we need to do
is Finish."
The UAB Blazers (3-8, 2-5) travel to Orlando this weekend
for the Knights' regular season finale. A UCF win or an ECU loss will clinch
the Conference USA East Division for the Knights and a trip back to Tulsa,
Oklahoma to face the Golden Hurricane in the conference championship game.
"Very few teams still
have a chance to play for two championships," O'Leary said. "This game coming
up gives [us] the division championship, where we can go out there and win that
one, and that gives you another chance to go back for the conference
[championship]."
This will be UCF's final season in conference USA and the
Knights have already won three division titles and two conference championships
in C-USA. This contest against the Blazers gives the Knights a chance to get
more than just another win.
"We have the opportunity and we have to take advantage of
it," O'Leary said. "The opportunity is there and now we need to grasp it."
Saturday is also senior day and 20 seniors will be honored
before the contest at Bright House Networks Stadium. A win that day will also
tie this senior class for the most victories over a four-year stretch with 32.
As pleased as Coach O'Leary is with what his seniors have accomplished during
their tenure at UCF, he wants them to concentrate on the task at hand.
"In my opinion they wouldn't have accomplished anything
unless we win Saturday," O'Leary said. "That's the feeling I've let them know
as far as all of the good you've done. People remember what you do in November,
not in September. That's how I look at those things and you're remembered for
your last game, your last at bat, your last shot, whatever it is and that's
what I told them."

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