Box Score ORLANDO, Fla. – Kaitlin Peterson scored a game-high 31 points to lead UCF to a 101-63 victory over Bethune-Cookman in women's basketball action Monday night at Addition Financial Arena. The contest was the season-opener for both programs to begin the 2023-24 campaign.
 
After shooting 52.4 percent from the field in the third quarter, UCF (1-0) opened the fourth quarter with a 12-0 scoring spurt, thanks largely to consecutive three-pointers from Kaitlin Peterson. Mya Burns and Laila Jewett added back-to-back baskets before a Bethune-Cookman timeout with 7:56 remaining and the Wildcats down 76-47.
 
A Bethune-Cookman (0-1) kicked off by a Dunn jumper – added a Tucker three-pointer from the top of the key, allowed the Cats to chip into the lead. Another driving basket in the paint from Tucker brought the visitors to within 81-59 with 4:53 showing on the fourth quarter clock.
 
However, Peterson would combine with teammate Taylor Gibson down the stretch to produce the final score, as the Knights finished the game on a 20-4 run.
 
BCU trailed 38-27 at the half with the Maroon and Gold shooting just 2 of 10 from three-point range. UCF countered in the opening 20 minutes with four (4) three-pointers. The Knights would connect on 13 baskets from beyond the arc in the contest.
 
Trailing 28-15 with 7:50 left in the half, BCU's Kerrighan Dunn put back her own miss to cut into the lead and begin a 5-0 Cats run – with Dunn adding another layup, followed by a free throw from Karianna Woods.
 
A Jayla Kelly layup stopped the Maroon and Gold run and made it 28-20 with just over four minutes remaining in the second quarter. UCF would push the lead to 38-24 off a Timia Ware three-pointer.
 
Kayla White produced the halftime score line when she registered her first three-pointer of the campaign.
 
UCF led 22-13 at the end of the first quarter.
 
Woods' layup with 3:29 remaining the opening quarter tied the contest at 13-all.
 
UCF embarked upon a 9-0 run beginning with Kelly's put-back off the glass. Moments later, the Knights' Ware connected on a three-pointer stemming from a Bethune-Cookman turnover, pushing the lead to 18-13.
 
In the third quarter, the Knights opened a 17-point gap with a 64-47 advantage at the end of the period.
 
After BCU cut into the lead at 40-31 with Chanelle McDonald and Kayla White combining for early points, teammate Nia Jordan's pull-up jumper with 8:21 remaining in the period pulled the visitors to within 40-33. Another Jordan three-pointer made it 50-40.
 
But Asia Todd of UCF added a three-pointer of her own, followed by a driving layup, with Peterson adding a layup of her own.
 
UCF led 57-40 with three minutes left in the third.
 
The Knights were led in scoring by Peterson's 31-point effort on 12 of 19 shooting from the floor, including six (6) three-pointers. Kelly and Lewett followed with 14 points each, while Burns finished with 10. Achol Akot picked up 14 rebounds and produced seven assists, adding five blocked shots.
 
Meanwhile, the Wildcats were paced by Wilson's 13 points, with teammate Dunn adding 10 to finish in double-figures as well. McDonald pulled down a team-high seven rebounds. And White recorded four assists from her forward position.
 
UP NEXT
Bethune-Cookman travels to the University of Florida on Thursday, Nov. 9, with tip-off slated for 6 p.m., at the O'Connell Center.
 
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