KISSIMMEE, Fla. – In a back-and-forth battle inside State Farm Fieldhouse at ESPN Wide World of Sports, UCF men’s basketball outlasted Florida Atlantic, 85-80, on Tuesday afternoon to close non-conference play.
The Knights improved to 11-1 on the season, marking the best non-conference start of the Johnny Dawkins era, while the Owls fell to 8-5
They [Florida Atlantic] got up by 14 in the first half, and we had to claw our way back. That says a lot about our guys and what they were able to do down the stretch with getting stops late in the half, closing it out solidly, and then coming out fast to start the second half. We were able to take the lead and pretty much hold on to it the rest of the way.
Johnny DawkinsHead CoachFlorida Atlantic jumped out early behind hot perimeter shooting, knocking down three three-pointers in the opening five minutes to fuel a 9-0 run. UCF weathered multiple scoring droughts in the first half, leaning on Jamichael Stillwell and Themus Fulks to keep the deficit manageable. A late 7-0 surge, capped by a Jordan Burks dunk, pulled the Knights within two before FAU beat the buzzer with a three to take a 38-33 lead into halftime.
UCF seized momentum early in the second half. Burks’ dunk at the 18:34 mark gave the Knights their first lead of the game, and Riley Kugel followed with a three just before the under-16 media timeout to extend the advantage. Fulks powered the offense down the stretch, completing a three-point play to give UCF its largest lead of the contest at eight with 6:28 remaining.
Florida Atlantic made one final push, trimming the margin to one with under two minutes to play, but the Knights executed late. Kugel knocked down two free throws with 29 seconds left, and an FAU turnover led to a Kugel layup. Burks then went to free throw line and made both to seal the win. UCF made five of its final seven field goals to close out the game, 85-80
Fulks delivered a stellar performance, posting a double-double with 24 points and 12 assists. Kugel added 18 points and tied his career high with six steals. Stillwell finished with 15 points, Burks contributed 14, and John Bol recorded his first career double-double with 11 points and a career-high 11 rebounds.
UP NEXT
UCF breaks for the holidays before opening Big 12 Conference play on Saturday, Jan. 3, hosting No. 17 Kansas inside Addition Financial Arena. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.
STUDENT TICKET CLAIMS
Student ticket claims for the men’s basketball conference opener against No. 19 Kansas on Jan. 3 are open now! Don't miss the action and claim your ticket 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.
