Men's Hoops Set to Host Horned Frogs

ORLANDO – The UCF men's basketball team returns to Orlando to host TCU on Saturday, the Horned Frogs first time visiting the Knights.

GAME INFORMATION
Date: Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025
Time: 4 p.m. ET
Location: Orlando, Fla.; Addition Financial Arena
TV: ESPN+
TV Talent: Drew Fellios (PxP), Sean Harrington (Analyst)
Radio: FM 96.9/AM 740 The Game
Tadio Talent: Marc Daniels (PxP), Taylor Young (Analyst)

KNIGHT NOTES

• The Knights are one of five teams in the Power 4 and Big East to have three 14.0+ points per game scorers this season; they’re joined by Creighton, Texas Tech, Notre Dame and Iowa. The trio of Keyshawn Hall (16.7), Jordan Ivy-Curry (14.8) and Darius Johnson (14.4) combine for 58.0% of UCF’s points, accounting for an average of 45.9 PPG of UCF’s average of 79.2. All three are in the top 15 of the Big 12 in scoring. The Knights go as their trio goes, with big differences in shooting percentages in wins vs. losses. Combined, the trio makes 11.9% more of their field goals and 9.0% more of their three-point attempts in games UCF wins.
  • In UCF Wins: Johnson: 45.2 FG%, 46.4 3PT%; Hall: 48.6 FG%, 41.5 3PT%; Ivy-Curry: 44.2 FG%, 34.6 3PT%
  • In UCF Losses: Johnson: 34.2 FG%, 32.4 3PT%; Hall: 33.7 FG%, 19.2 3PT%; Ivy-Curry: 34.7 FG%, 38.1 3PT%
• Of UCF’s first 13 Big 12 contests, nine of them present or have presented quad one opportunities. The Knights’ game at Iowa State capped UCF’s conference-opening stretch of seven games, six of which presented NCAA NET quad one opportunities. The Knights grabbed two of those quad one wins, beating Texas Tech and Arizona State on the road. UCF owns three quad one wins this season, including the opening night win over No. 13/15 Texas A&M.
• The Black and Gold’s gauntlent of a January gets tougher, as the game against No. 10/8 Houston was the first of back-to-back games against a top 10 opponent. It’s the first time since late last season that the Knights have faced two straight top 10 teams, as UCF lost by a combined 16 points to No. 8 Iowa State (60-52) and No. 1 Houston (67-59) on March 2 and March 6. The contest against Houston started a four-game stretch in which UCF is scheduled to play three top 12 teams (No. 10/8 Houston, No. 3/4 Iowa State, No. 12/11 Kansas). If Kansas cracks back into the top 10, it will be the first time in program history that the Knights have played three top 10 foes in a four-game run.
• Keyshawn Hall was named the Big 12 Conference’s Newcomer of the week on Jan. 20 after his historic night at Arizona State and for his late efforts against No. 10/8 Houston. Hall scored 40 points at Arizona State to help power UCF to a quad one win before going on to make the go ahead basket with 9.8 seconds left against Houston, despite a tough shooting night. Hall is the second player in program history to earn a Big 12 weekly honor, the other being Jaylin Sellers who was named a Co-Newcomer of the Week early last season.
• Hall has been heating up as the season has gone on, shooting much higher clips over the last nine games than the first nine.
  • First nine games: 38.2% from the field, 25% from three-point range
  • Next nine games: 47.4% from the field, 38.5% from three-point range
• Freshman Moustapha Thiam has been making a big impact over his last nine games played, scoring double-digit points in six of those contests, including most recently a career-best 18 points on 7-for-10 shooting from the field against No. 10/8 Houston. Over the last 10 games played, the rookie has six efforts with three or more blocks. Thiam’s shot blocking ability was obvious from game one, and its not just because he is 7-foot-2. He opened his collegiate campaign with six blocks against No. 13/15 Texas A&M on opening night, the most by a freshman since Tacko fall had half a dozen back Dec. 12, 2015 against Florida Atlantic. Thiam did it again seven games later, registering six blocks against Tarleton St. Dec. 8 before blocking an additional five the very next game vs. Tulsa Dec. 14 at the Orange Bowl Classic. The freshman is pacing nicely with UCF legend Fall who posted 70 blocks in his rookie season, a Knights freshman record. Through 18 contests of the 2015-16 season, Fall had 36 blocks while Thiam sits at 40 through the first 18 of the current campaign, despite missing two games due to injury or illness, so only participating in 16 thus far. Fall had one five or better block game during that stretch while Thiam boasts three. Taylor Hendricks, UCF’s first lottery and first round pick in program history, had 59 in 2022-23, the second most by a UCF rookie. Hendricks had 31 blocks through 18 games.
• Jordan Ivy-Curry has rattled home four or more three-pointers in five of his last 10 games, most recently hitting six three pointers at No. 3 Iowa State, tying a career high while setting a season high in points with 24.

THE MATCHUP

• The Knights will face TCU for the third time in program history, with Saturday's tilt being the first in Orlando. UCF first met the Horned Frogs in the 2017 NIT, falling in the semifinals to TCU. The Black and Gold met them for the first time as league-mates in the previous campaign's regular season finale, beating the Horned Frogs 79-77 in Fort Worth.

SCOUTING TCU

• Last time out, TCU led by as many as 14 points in the first half before falling to No. 12 Kansas, 74-61, Wednesday at Schollmaier Arena. The Horned Frogs were led by Noah Reynolds’ 14 points. Vasean Allette scored 11 of his 13 points in the first half, when TCU held a two-point lead. Ernest Udeh Jr. had seven points, eight rebounds and a career-high five steals.
• The Horned Frogs have won its last four games in the state of Florida. TCU won the Emerald Coast Classic in 2017 and 2023 in Niceville, Fla.
• Jamie Dixon is two wins away from 500 as a head coach. His 170 wins at TCU rank second all-time.
• TCU is 1-3 on the road this season and won their last away game at No. 25 Baylor on Jan. 19. TCU went 6-5 in away games last season, the first time in 25 years the Frogs finished over .500 on the road.
• TCU is 5-0 in games decided by five or fewer points and 6-0 when outrebounding its opponent.
• Ernest Udeh Jr., who is averaging 7.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks, is TCU’s only returning scholarship player. Udeh ranks sixth in the Big 12 with 8.3 rebounds per game. Udeh is one of six players in the Big 12 averaging at least 7.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.
• TCU’s newcomers includes six transfers and four freshmen. Two additional players are redshirt freshmen.
• Leading TCU in scoring is Noah Reynolds with 12.6 points. His average of 17.2 in Big 12 games ranks fifth. Reynolds has scored in double-figures in eight-straight games.
• Trazarien White has made a 3-pointer in each of the last 12 games and is averaging 9.5 points per game.
• Brendan Wenzel is TCU’s top 3-point threat at 42.1 percent. He’s averaging 9.1 points per game.
• Vasean Allette is averaging 11.6 points and has scored in double figures in nine-straight games. Allette has led the Frogs in assists in each of the last five games.
• Freshman David Punch is one of six freshmen in the Big 12 averaging at least 5.0 (5.3) points and 4.5 (4.6) rebounds.
• TCU, which led the nation in fastbreak scoring the past two seasons, ranks fifth in the Big 12 with 12.6 per game.