ORLANDO – “Competitors”.
When asked to describe the UCF Men’s Hoops team that took the floor on Tuesday night in Addition Financial Arena, leading scorer Jeremey Foumena was quick to answer.
But the Knights didn't just compete in the second half against the Quinnipiac Bobcats, they flat-out dominated. Center Foumena posted a career-best 18 points, complementing a commanding defensive performance that saw the Knights outrebound the Bobcats 43-29 on their way to a 102-91 victory
Despite a five-point burst from Riley Kugel to start the game, UCF stumbled early and a two-minute scoring drought by the 15:36 mark let Quinnipiac grab a 10-9 lead off a three-pointer and a subsequent free throw. The Knights responded with back-to-back layups from Carmelo Pacheco, capitalizing on a Bobcats drought to go up 18-14 by the second media timeout. But the back-and-forth affair continued until consecutive baskets from Quinnipiac swung their lead back to 27-26, with 7:53 remaining in the half.
From there, the Knights stalled offensively, falling into a scoring drought that stretched more than three minutes. Still, with Quinnipiac piling up 13 first-half fouls, UCF’s trips to the free-throw line kept the game within reach. The Knights sank seven of eight attempts in that same three-minute stretch, trimming the deficit to 37-33 with just over five minutes remaining.
Back-to-back threes from Devan Cambridge and Kugel snapped the Knights’ offensive lull and pulled the game even at 39-39. But the surge was short-lived as foul trouble soon caught up to the Black and Gold as well. The Bobcats capitalized at the stripe to rebuild a 47-39 advantage with 2:52 left in the half, and paired with Quinnipiac’s sharp 53.3% shooting from deep in the first half, UCF headed into the locker room trailing 52-47.
"I don’t think we fully understood how potent they are offensively, individually and collectively. By the second half, we realized, okay, these guys can really score the basketball, and we needed to dig in defensively. Once that clicked, our guys responded. They dug in, got the stops we needed, and built some momentum."
Head Coach Johnny DawkinsOn the second half changesThe teams traded baskets to start the second frame, as the Bobcats struggled both to limit their fouls and to protect their lead. Capitalizing on those defensive lapses, the Knights found their rhythm and strung together a quick 7-0 run over the span of a minute, cutting the deficit to 64-63 and forcing a Bobcat timeout.
The surge was spearheaded by starting guard Themus Fulks, who finished with 13 assists on the evening – the most by a UCF player in over a decade. The last Knight to reach that mark was Brandon Goodwin at Tulane on Feb. 19, 2015. Fulks came just one assist shy of tying the program’s single-game record of 14, held by Kingsley Edwards and Cory Perry. Entering the night ranked seventh in Division I and second in the Big 12 in total assists, he now leads UCF with 54 on the season.
Out of the break, Cambridge knocked down two free throws to give the Black and Gold their first lead since the seven-minute mark of the opening half. Chris Johnson continued the offensive break, burying a three-pointer and pushing the Knights’ advantage to 68-64 with 12:34 remaining.
Johnson, who recorded a stellar 3-of-5 mark from long range to tally up 11 points, was one of five Knights to turn in double-digit points on Tuesday evening. He was joined by Foumena (18), Kugel (16), Jordan Burks (13), and John Bol (13).
Bol also grabbed six rebounds, matching his career-high in that category, while his 13 points set a new career-high there. Additionally, he was a key contributor to UCF’s 54 points in the paint, a program first during the Johnny Dawkins era.
Having found their dominance on the offensive end of the hardwood, the Knights wasted no time translating it to defense, holding the Bobcats scoreless for a nearly seven-minute-long stretch. Back-to-back dunks from Jermey Foumena punctuated the surge and stretched the Knights’ lead to 72-66 with just over 11 minutes remaining.
OH MY GOODNESS @Jfoumena1 pic.twitter.com/HuBbytp95e
— UCF Men’s Hoops 🌴 (@UCF_MBB) November 26, 2025
From there, the Black and Gold never looked back, surrendering only 19 points until the final minute. They piled up 15 defensive rebounds and forced five turnovers in the second half to seal a 102-91 victory.
UP NEXT
The Knights will be back at home in Addition Financial Arena Saturday, Nov. 9, for a 1 p.m. tilt against VMI.
SINGLE GAME AND SEASON TICKETS ON SALE NOW
UCF men's basketball single-match and season tickets are on sale now. Be sure to catch all the action at Addition Financial Arena. Tickets can be purchased online at ucfknights.com/tickets or by calling the ticket office at (407) 823-1000.
ABOUT UCF ATHLETICS
UCF is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference. Our mission is to positively transform the lives of our students academically, athletically, and personally through a nationally competitive intercollegiate athletics program that enhances the reputation and visibility of the University. We strive to be Florida's preeminent athletic program, representing UCF and our community with distinction on the national stage as "Orlando's Hometown Team". To learn more about UCF and Athletics, please visit our websites at www.ucf.edu and www.ucfknights.com.