Men's Hoops Seeks Third Straight Win, Visits TCU Saturday

ORLANDO – The UCF men's basketball team seeks its third straight win as it visits TCU in Forth Worth for the second matchup of the season; the first saw the Knights earn their largest victory of the campaign, an 85-58 decision back on Jan. 25. 

GAME INFORMATION
Date: Saturday, March 1, 2025
Time: 4 p.m. ET
Location: Fort Worth, Texas; Schollmaier Arena
TV: ESPN+
TV Talent: Ted Emrich (PxP), BJ Taylor (Analyst)
Radio: FM 96.9/AM 740 The Game
Radio Talent: Marc Daniels (PxP)

KNIGHT NOTES

• Moustapha Thiam swatted eight blocks vs. Kansas State on Feb. 26, tying a UCF record for blocks in a game. He also earned his first career double-double in the process, scoring 11 points while pulling in 10 rebounds.
• Thiam is the only freshman across the Power 4 and Big East to average 10+ points, 5+ rebounds and 2.5+ blocks per contest this season. He is one of just 11 freshmen to average 10+ points and 5+ boards, joined by fellow Big 12 star VJ Edgecombe as well as other big names such as Duke’s Cooper Flagg and Rutgers’ Ace Bailey. Thiam has scored double-digit points in 14 games, including a career-best 18 points three times (No. 10/8 Houston, at Baylor, Utah). He’s swatted aside five or more blocks in six contest, with his highest being eight against Kansas State Feb. 26 and six against then-No. 13/15 Texas A&M on opening night and Tarleton St. Dec. 8.
• With 67 blocks, the Thiam is close to setting the UCF rookie record for rejections in a season, looking to dethrone UCF legend Tacko Fall who posted 70 blocks his rookie season. Thiam has already passed UCF’s first lottery and first round pick in program history in blocks as Taylor Hendricks had 59 during the 2022-23 campaign. Thiam now leads the Big 12 in blocks after trailing Arizona State’s Jayden Quaintance for the entirety of the season.
• Keyshawn Hall currently leads the Big 12 in scoring in both the regular season (19.1 ppg) and in conference play (21.6 ppg). He has 14 20+, three 30+, and one 40 point game while scoring double-digits in all but three games this season. Ten of his 20+ point performances are in conference play.
• The Knights earned an 80-76 victory over Kansas State for the program’s first back-to-back Big 12 wins this season. The win avenged UCF’s inaugural Big 12 Conference game loss as UCF lost 77-52 in Manhattan last season. Moustapha Thiam nearly had the program’s first triple-double in over a decade, posting 11 points, 10 rebounds and eight blocks, which tied a program record. The performance marked Thiam’s first career double-double. Keyshawn Hall and Darius Johnson both posted 20+ points, scoring 26 and 23 respectively. The Black and Gold built a lead of eight or more points seven different times during the contest, including a game-high of 11 while leading for 36:42 of the game, including all of the second half. The Knights fended off a late Kansas State run as the Wildcats clawed their way back to trail by a single possession with just over two minutes left.
• In Dawkins’ previous eight seasons at the helm of the Black and Gold, the Knights averaged 68.9 points per game with the best clip in points per game sitting at 72.3 back in 2018-19, the last time UCF made the NCAA Tournament. This season, the offense has errupted, averaging 78.9 points per contest with 15 games of 80 or more points this season (52 total in JD era). The Knights’ defense has allowed an average of 65.8 points per game over the previous eight seasons under Dawkins and has allowed 80.1 on the current campaign. The previous season-high never eclipsed 69.4 points per game (2020-21).
• The Knights go as their trio goes, with big differences in shooting percentages in wins vs. losses. Combined, the trio makes 6.0% more of their field goals and 4.2% more of their three-point attempts in games UCF wins.
  • In UCF Wins: Johnson: 44.8 FG%, 44.0 3PT%; Hall: 47.5 FG%, 40.7 3PT%; Ivy-Curry: 43.5 FG%, 32.3 3PT%
  • In UCF Losses: Johnson: 39.4 FG%, 36.5 3PT%; Hall: 42.3 FG%, 33.3 3PT%; Ivy-Curry: 34.8 FG%, 33.3 3PT%
• After earning some big career milestones earlier this season, Darius Johnson is close to a few more. He needs 19 points to earn his way to 10th place on UCF’s all-time scoring list. He also needs just four more threes to be No. 5 in all-time made triples at UCF as well as eight away from reaching the 200 made triples mark, a feat only four Knights have accomplished. Johnson recently earned his 400th assist and 200th steal, making him one of three players in the Big 12 who boasted those numbers in their collegiate careers (at the time of DJ’s accomplisment). Johnson jumped into sole possession of third place on UCF’s career assists list while also sliding into second on UCF’s career steals list, accomplishing both in Allen Fieldhouse in the Knights’ four point loss to No. 11 Kansas on Jan. 28. (More on career ranking in record watch section on page nine.) He boasts the Knights’ most steals in their D-I history.

THE MATCHUP

• In the first meeting of the season, UCF earned its biggest victory of the campaign, topping TCU 85-58 while leading wire-to-wire. The win was the largest by UCF over a Big 12 opponent since joining the league, topping a 14-point win over Texas Tech at home last season. TCU’s 23 points was the lowest allowed in a half by UCF against a Big 12 foe while being members. The Horned Frogs’ 58 points were just one more than the fewest that UCF has allowed to a Big 12 foe after allowing 57 at Houston last season. TCU became the third victim to score less than 60 points against UCF this season. Hall energized the Knights from the jump, sinking three straight threes on UCF’s first three possessions. He hit the first of two free throws on the next trip down the floor, giving UCF a 10-0 lead after four possessions 2:22 into the game. TCU on the other hand struggled from distance as UCF held them to 0-12 in the first half and 1-20 on the evening. Its the second time this season UCF has held an opponent without a three in the first, the other time coming against Tarleton St.
• UCF owns a 2-1 all-time series lead over TCU, with a win on the final day of the regular sesaon during the 2023-24 campaign, a 79-77 victory in Fort Worth. Aside from this season, the only other meeting between the two programs came in the 2017 NIT semifinal in Madison Square Garden, a game that saw the Horned Frogs take a 68-53 win.

SCOUTING TCU

• After consecutive road games, TCU is back home for two at home. With three games left in the regular season, the Horned Frogs are tied for seventh in the Big 12 Conference.
• TCU is 13-2 at home this season and has won the last three. Its last home game was a win vs. No. 9 Texas Tech. Under Jamie Dixon in Schollmaier Arena, TCU is 115-40 overall and 45-34 in Big 12 games.
• TCU is 13-1 when leading by double digits. Its loss came to KU after leading by 14. The Frogs are 11-1 when leading at halftime.
• TCU is 9-1 in games decided by five or fewer points this season.
• TCU’s losses are all to teams ranked in the top 77 of the NET. TCU is 4-9 in NET Q1 games and 2-4 in Q4. The Frogs have no Q3 or Q4 losses.
• Ernest Udeh Jr., who is averaging 6.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks, is TCU’s only returning scholarship player. Udeh ranks eighth in the Big 12 with 7.4 rebounds per game and has five double-doubles. Udeh is one of five players in the Big 12 averaging at least six points, seven rebounds and one block per game. Udeh has won the opening tip in 20 of 26 games played this season and 47 of his 62 field goals have been dunks.
• TCU’s newcomers includes six transfers and four freshmen. Two additional players are redshirt freshmen. TCU is the only team in the Big 12 with five freshmen averaging 7.0 minutes or more. No other team has four. Only three teams nationally have more than five freshmen averaging at least 7.0 minutes or more.
• Leading TCU in scoring is Noah Reynolds with 12.3 points. His average of 14.0 in Big 12 games ranks 15th.
• Vasean Allette is averaging 11.6 points and 12.6 in Big 12 games. Allette is averaging 4.9 assists over the last eight games.
• Trazarien White averages 8.6 points and has made a 3-pointer in seven-straight games.
• Freshman David Punch is one of five freshmen in the Big 12 averaging at least 5.0 (6.3) points and 4.0 (4.4) rebounds.
• TCU ranks third in the Big 12 and 60th nationally in 3-point defense, allowing 31.3 percent from beyond-the-arc. Opponents are shooting 28.1 percent from three in Schollmaier Arena this season.
• The Frogs have committed less than 10 turnovers eight times in Big 12 play.