With only three nonconference games left and a competitive conference schedule looming, the road to 2026 is officially on—here’s everything you need to know about UCF Men’s Hoops.
1. Now You’re Dawkin; Knights Start 8-1
Since head coach Johnny Dawkins took the helm in 2016, the Knights have never opened a season quite like this, as their electrifying 8-1 start stands as the best of his tenure. Their win over Towson on Dec. 7 also pushed their streak to seven straight victories, the longest by a Dawkins-led team since the 2019 season, when the group made a March Madness appearance and recorded a similar seven-game run from Dec. 8 to Jan. 13.
Notes to watch:
- A Dec. 17 win over Mercer would extend the Knights’ streak to eight, their longest streak in almost 20 years, matching the 2004-05 season, when they also won 8 straight (Feb. 17-Mar. 5).
- If Dawkins and his squad sweep the rest of their non-conference schedule, they’ll finish 11-1, setting a new program benchmark for the best non-conference record.
- Dawkins has his core group locked down early, as the Knights have yet to lose with Riley Kugel, Themus Fulks, Jamichael Stillwell, Jordan Burks, and John Bol in the starting lineup.
*Note: The 2010-11 season’s 14-game streak and 13-0 non-conference record were vacated due to NCAA sanctions.
2. Fulks Controls The Flow
Milwaukee transfer Themus Fulks has quickly established himself as UCF’s floor general, leading the Big 12 and ranking fourth nationally with 67 assists (7.4 apg) in just nine games. He delivered his most impressive performance in the Knights’ win over Quinnipiac, dishing out 13 assists, the most by a UCF player in more than a decade. That effort left him just one shy of the program’s single-game record of 14, held by Kingsley Edwards and Cory Perry.
Notes to watch:
- Should Fulks maintain a seven-assist per game average across the regular season, he’d shatter the previous program single-season assist record of 183 set in the 1991-92 season by Sinua Phillips.
- Fulks is one of four players in the Big 12 with multiple 10-plus assist games and one of 11 across the Power Four.
- Heading into the final three nonconference games, Fulks has directly contributed 101 points himself and another 163 through his assists, giving him responsibility for 264 of UCF’s 792 total points. That means he has accounted for an impressive 33.3 percent of the Knights’ total scoring production this season.
3. The 4 Factor
Number four, Jamichael Stillwell, who transferred from Milwaukee alongside Fulks, has become a dominant two-way presence for the Knights, already recording three double-doubles across nine games, unsurprising for the senior who averaged 13 points and 10.7 rebounds last season. He ranks second in the Big 12 with 32 offensive rebounds, highlighted by a career-best 10 in the win over VMI, which ties him for second all-time in program history for offensive boards in a single game.
Notes to watch:
- Stillwell is on pace to surpass UCF’s single-season double-double record of 12, set by Tacko Fall during the 2016-17 season. Notably, Stillwell recorded 16 double-doubles last season at Milwaukee.
- Fall also set UCF’s single-season offensive rebounding record in 2016-17 with 129, another benchmark Stillwell could challenge if he maintains his production on the offensive glass throughout the season.
- It is worth noting that Fall was a true center, but no forward has surpassed 100 offensive rebounds in a single season, a benchmark that Stillwell is already more than a quarter of the way toward reaching.
4. Rising Through The Ranks
As of Dec. 13, UCF ranks 40th in the NCAA NET, its highest position since reaching 35th on Jan. 13, 2023. The Knights have generated more NET momentum this season than in their first two years in the Big 12, having sat 96th at this point in 2024 and 65th in 2023.
Notes to watch:
- UCF’s six wins in quad 1-3 matchups as of Dec. 13 put them in a tie for second among Division I teams, just behind No. 2 Michigan, which leads with seven.
- UCF’s remaining schedule includes eight quad 1 games and seven quad 2 games. The Knights are 1-0 in quad 2, having swept Texas A&M in a home-and-home series, but fell in their lone quad 1 contest to No. 15 Vanderbilt.
- Dawkins’ 2018-19 team finished nonconference play ranked 46th in the NCAA NET Rankings, though they climbed as high as 26 before ending their season in the tournament’s second round.
5. Bench Brigade
Depth has been a defining trait for the 2025-26 roster, with six different players leading the team in scoring through nine games. A balance that has translated to one of the Big 12’s most productive benches, as the Black and Gold are averaging 31.1 points per game from their reserves entering the final three nonconference contests, fourth-best in the conference, highlighted by a 47-point bench performance in the win over Quinnipiac.
Notes to watch:
- The Knights’ bench reached a program high in 2010-11, scoring 828 points at an average of 25.5 per game. So far, the 2025-26 reserves have amassed 280 points, hinting that this year’s bench could emerge as one of the most efficient in recent history.
- Among the UCF’s bench contributors are key sharpshooters like Carmelo Pacheco, who has scored 54 of his 66 points this season from beyond the arc so far. Pacheco ranked fourth in NCAA Division I in three-point field goal percentage last season at 46.4 percent and is looking to match that again, currently maintaining a strong 41.9 percent.
- Beyond scoring, the bench has contributed 116 rebounds so far, echoing Coach Dawkins’ 2023-24 unit, which set a program record with 475 rebounds, a mark this year’s group is already more than a quarter of the way toward.
LOOKING AHEAD
Dawkins and his squad have three must-see matchups remaining in the calendar year, highlighted by two home games and an exciting neutral-site showdown. The Knights return to Addition Financial Arena on Dec. 17 to host Mercer with a 7 PM tipoff, before closing out the home slate for 2025 on Dec. 20 against FGCU at 5 PM. Fans can secure tickets now for both home contests.
UCF will then head to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex for a Dec. 23 neutral-site clash against Florida Atlantic, tipping off at 2 p.m. as part of the Festiball showcase. Tickets for the event are available now and can be purchased here.
Big 12 play tips off on Jan. 3 as the Knights open home conference action for the third consecutive season against No. 19 Kansas, launching a thrilling January homestand at Addition Financial Arena. The Knights will host five home games during the month, headlined by marquee matchups against No. 1 Arizona on Jan. 17 and No. 16 Texas Tech on Jan. 31.
CONFERENCE HOME SCHEDULE
Jan. 3 vs. No. 19 Kansas
Jan. 11 vs. Cincinnati
Jan. 17 vs. No. 1 Arizona
Jan. 27 vs. Arizona State
Jan. 31 vs. No. 16 Texas Tech
Feb. 14 vs. West Virginia
Feb. 17 vs. TCU
Feb. 28 vs. Baylor
March 3 vs. Oklahoma State
STUDENT TICKET CLAIMS
Student ticket claims for the men’s basketball conference opener against No. 19 Kansas on Jan. 3 open on Dec. 17. Student ticket claims can be claimed here.
SINGLE GAME AND SEASON TICKETS ON SALE NOW
UCF basketball single-game and season tickets are on sale now. Be sure to catch all the action at Addition Financial Arena as Big 12 play heats up in Orlando. Tickets can be purchased by calling the ticket office at (407) 823-1000 or online here.
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.