Keyshawn Hall delivered a stellar performance, leading the Knights with 23 points, including 17 in the second half. He showcased his prowess at the free-throw line, converting 12-of-14 attempts, a category in which he led the Big 12 this season.
Darius Johnson added 20 points, while Jordan Ivy-Curry, returning after a two-game absence, contributed 15 points off the bench. Moustapha Thiam recorded his third double-double in the last five games, tallying 14 points and 11 rebounds. Collectively, the Knights shot a season-best 54.7 percent from the field against a conference opponent, including a scorching 71 percent in the second half, while holding Utah to 31% shooting after the break.
The game began with UCF taking an early 7-2 lead, but Utah responded with a 14-0 run, establishing a 21-9 advantage at the 10:45 mark. The Utes dominated the first-half rebounding battle, 24-13, and outscored the Knights 26-8 in the paint, including 12 points off offensive rebounds.
However, UCF remained competitive by connecting on seven three-pointers in the first half, narrowing the deficit to one at halftime, 40-39, thanks to a Hall buzzer-beating triple. Ivy-Curry and Thiam each paced the Knights with eight points in the opening 20 minutes.
UCF seized control in the second half, igniting a 14-2 run to take a 53-42 lead at the first media timeout. The Knights’ hot shooting and effective match-up zone defense stifled Utah’s front line, extending the lead to 61-43 with 13:35 remaining following a fast-break dunk by Hall.
The Knights' advantage ballooned to 20 points at the 13:01 mark, effectively sealing the game. Despite a brief 7-0 run by Utah to cut the deficit to single digits at 67-58 with 9:06 left, UCF responded with a 10-0 run to stretch the lead back to 19 points, squashing any hopes of a Utah comeback.
Utah’s Keanu Dawes led the Utes with 21 points and 15 rebounds. Lawson Lovering and Gabe Madsen also scored in double figures, contributing 11 and 10 points, respectively.
The Knights’ relentless second-half performance and balanced scoring attack underscore their determination as they prepare to challenge the Kansas Jayhawks in the quarterfinals.
The Knights are now 2-1 all-time in the Big 12 Tournament and 32-26 all-time in conference tournaments as program. UCF improves to 3-0 all-time against Utah. The Knights also won the lone meeting of the season against the Utes during the regular season. The 15-0 run by the Knights in the second half marked the largest run against a conference opponent in which the opposition was held scoreless and tied the largest run this season. The Knights connected on 10 3-pointers, their 12th game of the season with double-digit makes from long range.
UP NEXT
The Knights will face Kansas for the third time this season, tipping off in the second round at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
