After a record non‑conference showing, UCF Men’s Hoops now turns its attention to the start of Big 12 play and the road ahead in 2026—here’s everything you need to know.
1. Now You’re Dawkin; Knights Start 11-1
Since head coach Johnny Dawkins took the helm in 2016, the Knights have never opened a season quite like this, as their electrifying 11-1 start stands as the best of his tenure. Their win over Florida Atlantic on Dec. 23 also pushed their streak to 10 straight victories, the longest ever by a Dawkins-led team and the longest since the 2010-11 season when the squad opened the season on a 14-0 tear.
More to note:
- Dawkins’ team is one of three in the Big 12 with just one loss entering conference play, joined by Oklahoma State, No. 8 Houston, and No. 10 BYU, while No. 1 Arizona and No. 3 Iowa State remain undefeated.
- Beyond Dawkins’ own record-breaking start, his group has already left its mark in the program record book, as the Knights set a new single-game record with 19 made three-pointers in their Dec. 20 win over FGCU, surpassing the previous mark of 17 set against Tulsa on Feb. 11, 2023.
- 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, but still count as the program's best start in UCF records.
2. Fulks Controls The Flow
Milwaukee transfer Themus Fulks has quickly established himself as UCF’s floor general, ranking second in the Big 12 and eighth nationally with 86 assists (7.2 apg) across 12 games. He delivered his most impressive performance in the Knights’ win over Quinnipiac on Nov. 25, 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.
More to note:
- 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 only two players in the Big 12 with at least three games with 10 or more assists, and one of seven across the Power Four.
- Heading into conference play, Fulks has directly contributed 160 points himself and another 209 through his assists, giving him responsibility for 369 of UCF’s 1060 total points. That means he has accounted for an impressive 34.8 percent of the Knights’ total scoring production this season
- Fulks has recorded two point-assist double-doubles this season: 11 points and 10 assists against Oakland, and an impressive 24 points and 12 assists in the win over FAU. That makes him one of only three Knights this century, alongside Isaiah Sykes and Darius Johnson, to post two point-assist double-doubles in a single season. No guard has ever recorded three in one 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 five double-doubles across 12 games. Unsurprising for the senior who averaged 13 points and 10.7 rebounds last season. He ranks second in the Big 12 and 10th nationally with 48 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.
More to note:
- 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 almost halfway towards.
- Stillwell’s five double-doubles tie him for third-most in the Big 12 as non-conference play concludes, and rank third in program history for double-doubles during non-conference competition, trailing only 2012-13 Keith Clanton (7) and 2016-17 Tacko Fall (8).
4. Rising Through The Ranks
As of Dec. 30, UCF ranks 36th in the NCAA NET. The Knights have climbed as high as 31st this season, their best NET position since joining the Big 12, and have shown far more movement than in their first two seasons, when they sat 80th at this point in 2024 and 70th in 2023.
More to note:
- UCF’s eight quad 1-3 wins as of Dec. 30 are tied for the second most in Division I with No. 7 Gonzaga, trailing only No. 2 Michigan, which leads the nation with 10.
- UCF’s remaining schedule includes eight quad 1 games and seven quad 2 games. The Knights are 1-1 in quad 1, having swept Texas A&M in a home-and-home series, but fell to now No. 11 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 12 games. A balance that has translated to one of the Big 12’s most productive benches, as the Black and Gold are averaging 28.8 points per game from their reserves, fourth-best in the conference, highlighted by a 51-point bench performance in the win over Florida A&M on Nov. 11.
More to note:
- 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 345 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 66 of his 78 points this season from beyond the arc. 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 40.0 percent.
- Beyond scoring, the bench has contributed 148 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.
COUNTDOWN TO CONFERENCE PLAY
Now in their third season in the Big 12, one of college basketball’s toughest conferences, Dawkins and his squad will prepare for an 18-game slate that includes six ranked opponents, beginning at home Jan. 3 against No. 17 Kansas.
Last season, the Big 12 sent seven teams to the NCAA Tournament and posted the nation’s best winning percentage in The Dance. Four teams reached the Sweet 16, with Texas Tech advancing to the Elite Eight and Houston finishing as the national runner-up.
January - 9 Games
- Jan. 3 vs No. 17 Kansas
- Jan. 11 vs Cincinnati
- Jan. 14 at Kansas St.
- Jan. 17 vs No. 1 Arizona
- Jan. 20 at No. 3 Iowa St.
- Jan. 24 at Colorado
- Jan. 27 vs Arizona St.
- Jan. 31 vs No. 16 Texas Tech
Dawkins and his squad open conference play at home against No. 17 Kansas, which enters with a 10-3 non-conference record with all three losses coming to top-25 opponents. A thrilling January homestand follows at Addition Financial Arena, as the Knights will host five home games throughout the month, highlighted by matchups against No. 1 Arizona—one of six undefeated Division I teams—and No. 16 Texas Tech, which has spent 17 consecutive weeks in the national polls, recently moving higer after handing No. 6 Duke its only loss of the season. The Black and Gold face equally challenging opponents on the road, including a matchup with undefeated No. 3 Iowa State.
February - 7 Games
- Feb. 4 at No. 8 Houston
- Feb. 8 at Cincinnati
- Feb. 14 vs West Virginia
- Feb. 17 vs TCU
- Feb. 21 at Utah
- Feb. 24 at No. 10 BYU
- Feb. 28 vs Baylor
February begins with a difficult road test at No. 8 Houston, the reigning national runner-up and one of college basketball’s toughest home environments, as the Cougars have won 12 consecutive home games and 47 of their last 48 inside Fertitta Center as of Dec. 30. The Knights will have another tough road contest later in the month against No. 10 BYU, a 12-1 squad led by AJ Dybantsa, the nation’s No. 1 recruit in the 2025-26 class, who recorded the second 30/10/10 triple-double in Big 12 history against Eastern Washington on Dec. 22.
March - 2 Games
- March 3 vs Oklahoma St.
- March 6 at West Virginia
UCF wraps up the regular season with a home game against Oklahoma State, followed by a road contest at West Virginia. The Knights then head to Kansas City, Mo., for the Big 12 Championship beginning on March 10, culminating with the championship game on the 14th.
STUDENT TICKET CLAIMS
Student ticket claims for the men’s basketball conference opener against No. 17 Kansas on Jan. 3 are now open! Don’t miss the action, be sure to claim your student 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.