Preview: UCF Hoops In The Legends Classic

The fifth-largest convention center in Florida, the Ocean Center plays host to a wide variety of events. In terms of sports, its indoor arena has seen the Harlem Globetrotters, arena football, wrestling, eSports and more.

When it comes to college basketball, the venue played host to the 2021 College Basketball Invitational (CBI), the first edition of the postseason tournament to be played on a neutral site thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. The tournament has returned every season since.

The organizer of the CBI, The Gazelle Group, is also the organizer of the Legends Classic. Though, this is the first time that the Legends Classic has been held in the Ocean Center.

2. It's Been A While

The first matchup between the Knights and the Panthers, like their upcoming one, was played on a neutral court.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was the staging ground for the first meeting between these two programs in the first round of the 2004 NCAA Tournament. UCF, led by coach Kirk Speraw, had finally returned to March Madness for the first time since 1996.

Pittsburgh, under first-year coach Jamie Dixon, who is currently the coach of TCU, was a 3-seed and the Big East regular-season champion. It also boasted a freshman Aaron Gray, who went on to play nine seasons in the NBA.

The Panthers came out on top, 53-44.

3. Home Away From Home

It might be just 58 miles away, but Thursday night marks the first time since the 2009 Glenn Wilkes Classic that the Knights take the court in the Ocean Center.

UCF is 4-1 overall in the venue, boasting a win over Bethune-Cookman there in 1997, and then going 3-1 in the 2009 Glenn Wilkes Classic. The Knights took down Auburn and Drake, but fell to a Niagara team that went on to make the NCAA Tournament.

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