ORLANDO – “I never want to go into any season with low standards. Our standards are always the highest, and we have those same standards for this team here."
UCF men’s basketball head coach Johnny Dawkins made clear his expectations for his squad entering the winter season, a slate that will provide an immediate test with a top 15 Opening Knight matchup.
On the heels of a second consecutive postseason berth and fourth in the last eight years, the Knights are set to tip off their much-anticipated 2024-25 campaign, their second as a member of the Big 12 Conference, against the No. 13/15 Texas A&M Aggies at Addition Financial Arena Monday, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m.
The Black and Gold a season ago made an emphatic first impression throughout their inaugural Big 12 slate, toppling three ranked opponents in a single season for the first time in program history in then-No. 3/3 Kansas Jan. 10, then-No. 23/24 Oklahoma Feb. 3, and then-No. 23/23 Texas Tech Feb. 24. UCF’s 65-60 win over the Jayhawks in its Big 12 home-opener represented the highest-ranked win in program history as well.
UCF later bested the Oklahoma State Cowboys by a 77-62 final score in its first showing in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship in Kansas City, earning the first Big 12 Conference tournament victory in program history.
The Black and Gold’s strong debut season in the league was aided by their status as one of the better defensive teams in the conference throughout the year. UCF ranked within the top four in the Big 12 in rebounding (3rd, 37.7), scoring defense (3rd, 67.9), steals per game (4th, 8.7) and turnovers forced (4th, 14.2). The Knights also represented the best blocking team in the conference, ranking 19th in the nation with an average of five per game.
The Knights did it thanks in no small part to returning starters and two leading scorers Darius Johnson and Jaylin Sellers, who both earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention recognition for their efforts. In his third season donning the Black and Gold, Johnson set a new single-season career best with 15.2 points per game in a season high 33 games played.
Sellers matched Johnson the whole way, averaging 15.9 points per game in his 33 games in his first season in Orlando on his way to an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention. He registered double-digit points in each of the Knights’ 12 non-conference matchups, becoming the first Knight since Aubrey Dawkins in the 2018-19 campaign to score in double figures in each of his first 12 games of a season.
The two starters are joined by sophomore guard Nils Machowski, redshirt sophomore guard Tyler Hendricks and redshirt junior guard Poohpha Warakulnukroh in representing UCF’s five-man returning class entering the new season. Machowski appeared in 25 games off the bench a season ago, snagging 28 rebounds and 13 steals while averaging two points per game.
Joining the five Knights returners are 11 newcomers, including three freshmen and eight transfers. UCF’s group of new faces is highlighted by freshman Moustapha Thiam, the program’s highest-ranked recruit and first five-star with a .9943 composite ranking according to 247Sports; Mikey Williams, a top 50 recruit coming out of high school who took a redshirt during his lone year at Memphis; Keyshawn Hall, who averaged over 18 points per game as a sophomore at George Mason last season and was selected to the All-Atlantic 10 Second Team; and Dior Johnson, who averaged close to 30 points per game in 21 games, including 20 starts, as a redshirt freshman at Clarendon College.
“They’re young, talented players, and they’ve all had success where they were,” Dawkins said of the team’s newcomers. “They all were very successful on their level, and now the focus is adjusting to the level where we’re at now. They all bring versatility in their ability to play multiple positions while instilling confidence that they can be successful.”
In No. 13/15 Texas A&M, UCF will look to claim its fourth ranked win in the last two seasons and 11th in program history. The Aggies last season produced a 21-15 record, including a 9-9 mark in SEC play to earn a berth in the 2024 NCAA Tournament as a nine seed, where the squad earned a 98-83 win over Nebraska in the first round before falling to Houston by a 100-95 final score in overtime.
Texas A&M represents one of 12 teams on the Knights’ 2024-25 schedule that made appearances in the NCAA Tournament last season, built on the team’s stingy defensive efforts.
The Aggies were the top rebounding team in the nation (17.4 offensive, 42.8 total), and ranked fifth in the SEC in scoring defense (72.0 points per game allowed). Senior Andersson Garcia was a big reason why, serving as the SEC’s leading rebounder with 327, including an average of 9.1 per game and 4.3 offensive rebounds per game.
Returning graduate student Wade Taylor IV spearheaded the team’s efforts on the offensive side of the ball a year ago, as his 687 total points not only paced the squad but ranked third most in the conference and 17th in the nation.
In meeting the Aggies, the Knights look to continue their recent trend of defending their home court under Dawkins, having produced a 93-35 record at Addition Financial Arena over the last eight seasons. Each of UCF’s three ranked wins last year came in Orlando as well.
Tipoff for the Black and Gold’s season-opener is set for 7 p.m. from Addition Financial Arena Monday, Nov. 4, and will be streamed on ESPN+.
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