HEADED TO CAMERON INDOOR
- For the first time in UCF program history, the Knights are headed to Cameron Indoor for an exhibition set for October 21 at 7 p.m.
- The exhibition is part of Duke men’s basketball series called the “Brotherhood Run”, a tradition in which Duke invites former players who are now collegiate head coaches back to Durham for a matchup.
- In the 2024-2025 season, the Blue Devils went a perfect 17-0 at home. Duke won the 2025 ACC Championship and made it to the NCAA Tournament Final Four before falling to the Houston Cougars 67-70.
- Head Coach Johnny Dawkins heads back to his alma mater, where he was a two-time consensus All-American and was enshrined in the Duke Hall of Fame in September 1996, when his No. 24 jersey was retired.
- Dawkins will step back onto the hardwood at Cameron for the first time since 2008, when he was an associate head coach.
- The last matchup between the two teams took place on March 24, 2019, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina, where the Blue Devils advanced following a narrow 77-76 victory.
- Dawkins played at Duke for Coach Mike Krzyzewski from 1982-86. He is regarded as a key early figure in the program’s ascent to becoming a national power. Dawkins and company began to build the foundation for Duke basketball after a sub-.500 freshman season. The Blue Devils finished 24-10 the following campaign, sparking back-to-back NCAA Tournament Second Round appearances. His senior season culminated with a 37-3 record and a National Championship game appearance.
- Throughout his time at Duke, Dawkins piled up 2,556 points, a mark that stood as the school’s scoring record until 2006 and remains second all-time. He was a two-time consensus All-American, a four-time All-ACC selection, four-time team MVP, and was the recipient of the 1986 Naismith National Player of the Year award.
NEW KNIGHTS
- UCF lost 100% of its scoring from last season and is one of five Power Four teams to not bring back any returning scoring, joined by Baylor, Miami, Indiana and West Virginia.
- The Knights’ newcomers that played last season averaged 86.1 points per game in total, led by Themus Fulks’ 14.6 and both George Beale Jr. and Jamichael Stillwell averaging 13.0.
- Devan Cambridge is heading into his sixth year of college basketball, previously playing with Auburn, Arizona State and Texas Tech. In Cambridge’s most-recent season with the Red Raiders, he reached the 1,000 points milestone.
- Fulks enters his fifth year of college hoops, previously playing for South Carolina State, Louisiana, and Milwaukee. Fulks averaged an impressive 5.9 assists per game last season, placing him 22nd in the NCAA in assists per game.
- UCF has three incoming senior transfers in Riley Kugel, Beale Jr. and Stillwell. Kugel posted double figures in 17 games while managing a 43.3 field goal percentage last season at Mississippi State. Beale scored 62 three-pointers in his past season at Hampton, the 12th most in the CAA while maintaining a 39.5 three-point percentage. Stillwell was a double-double magician at Milwaukee, earning 16 double-doubles to tie for 11-most in the NCAA last season.
- The Knights bring in four incoming Juniors: Jeremy Foumena, Carmelo Pacheco, Chris Johnson and Jordan Burks. Foumena appeared in 28 games off the bench for Rhode Island, averaging 5.3 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. Pacheco was lights-out from the three at Mount St. Mary’s, knocking down four or more three-pointers in a game 10 times and averaged 46.8% from downtown last season. Johnson, despite only playing in three games last season, averaged 10.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.7 assists for Stephen F. Austin. Burks scored double-digits in nine games with Georgetown while maintaining a 52.1 shooting percentage.
- Kris Parker and John Bol are the two incoming sophomore transfers. Parker appeared in 27 games for Villanova and played an average of 10 minutes per game, averaging 2.6 points and 1.4 rebounds per game. Bol was named as a top recruit in the state of Georgia and the eighth best center in the 2024 class by ESPN.
- UCF brings in freshman Zach Johnson and Tanner Jones. Johnson competed for IV Greatness Academy and averaged 30 points, six rebounds and five assists per game. Jones played 21 games at Campbell Hall, averaging 12.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.
KNIGHTS ON THE ROAD
- After the exhibition game at Cameron Indoor, the Knights have road matchups in the non-conference and Big 12 conference slate that consist of teams that are known for protecting their home court.
- The Knights head to College Station to face the Texas A&M Aggies for their lone non-conference road matchup. The Aggies are 54-13 in their last four years at Reed Arena, going 7-0 in their non-conference home games last season.
- UCF will face Iowa State at Hilton Coliseum, where the Cyclones are 60-10 their past four seasons. Iowa State won 29 straight home games before losing to Kansas State on February 1, 2025.
- UCF heads to the Fertitta Center to play Houston after two years of not previously playing there. The Cougars are 33-1 at home since joining the Big 12 in July 2023.
FOES WITH MARCH MADNESS PEDIGREE
- Along with the exhibition game against a NCAA Final Four team in Duke, come regular season play, the Knights will play eight teams who appeared in the NCAA Tournament last season.
- The nine Big 12 teams the Knights will host have punched 49 tickets to the NCAA Tournament over the last decade. Kansas leads the way with nine appearances in the last 10 seasons with Baylor boasting eight and Arizona and Texas Tech reaching March Madness seven times.
- The nine Big 12 teams the Knights will host have punched 49 tickets to the NCAA Tournament over the last decade. Kansas leads the way with nine appearances in the last 10 seasons with Baylor boasting eight and Arizona and Texas Tech reaching March Madness seven times.
- Last season, Texas Tech reached the Elite Eight and Houston wound up in the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament.
MILWAUKEE DUO
- Themus Fulks and Jamichael Stillwell both had breakout years with Milwaukee in the 2024-2025 season after their first year playing together. Fulks and Stillwell bring their talents to Orlando to continue their duo chemistry.
- Fulks and Stillwell bring elite scoring, dropping 14.6 points and 13.0 points per game, respectively.
- Fulks assisted the ball at a high level with the Panthers last season, putting him at ninth nationally for returning assist leaders at 5.9 assists per game.
- Stillwell recorded 10.7 rebounds per game last season, putting him fifth nationally for returning rebound leaders at 10.7 rebounds per game. Stillwell’s 16 double-doubles last season put him at No. 5 nationally for top returning double-double leaders.
- Stillwell’s efforts on the glass for the Panthers put the team at second nationally in rebound margin, fifth in offensive rebounds per game, and 21st in rebounds per game.
- Milwaukee went 13-5 last season when Fulks and Stillwell each played 25-plus minutes in a game.
YEAR 3 in the Big 12
- UCF joined the Big 12 conference prior to the 2023-24 season and this season marks its third season in the league.
- The AP Preseason Poll came out on October 13 and it featured six Big 12 teams ranked in the Top 25.
- The six teams tie for the most in Big 12 history and has happened in back-to-back years. With three teams in the top 10 it marks the most by any conference this year.
- The Black and Gold are set to face three of the opponents at home with No. 10 Texas Tech, #13 Arizona and #19 Kansas. The Knights travel to the other three schools starting with No. 2 Houston, #8 BYU and #16 Iowa State.