ORLANDO – A career‑best 30 points from Themus Fulks and multiple second‑half surges weren’t enough to offset UCF Men’s Hoops' foul trouble, as 24 whistles and a series of untimely scoring droughts proved to be their undoing in an 84-77 loss to No. 1 Arizona inside Addition Financial Arena on Saturday evening.
The Knights now fall to 3-2 in Big 12 play and 14-3 overall, while the Wildcats remain undefeated with an 18-0 overall record and 4-0 conference mark.
"Every single game in the Big 12 is going to be like this. And it's just the way it is in this conference from top to bottom. And we have to make sure we prepare appropriately...It's not going to change, no matter where you're at, home or on the road, you're going to play great teams, it's going to be great environments."
Head Coach Johnny DawkinsDespite being tied at nine at the first media timeout, the Knights’ offense stalled early, enduring a nearly three‑minute scoring drought that allowed the Wildcats to build a 15-9 lead with 13:49 left in the opening frame.
Jeremy Foumena briefly reignited the offense with a slam‑down dunk, but the Black and Gold soon slipped into another lull, going scoreless for 3:56. Combined with an 11‑point surge from Arizona, the Knights suddenly found themselves down by double digits, 26-11, with 9:52 remaining in the half.
Jordan Burks refused to let the game slip away, though, pouring in seven straight points to cut the deficit to nine, 27-18, with just over seven minutes left. His offensive tear steadied the Knights, who then hit eight of their next nine attempts from the field, narrowing the gap to four, 35-31, with three minutes to play in the opening frame.
Burks tallied 16 points for the Black and Gold on 6‑of‑12 shooting from the field, while Riley Kugel added double digits of his own, finishing the night with 12 points and three assists.
Back‑to‑back fouls on the defensive side of the hardwood slowed their push to take the lead before halftime, but a final three from Fulks, who shot 7‑of‑8 from the floor in the first half, trimmed the margin to three, 41-38, at the break.
Fulks, who finished the night with 30 points, steered the Knights’ offense in every facet, leading the team in both scoring and assists with eight. He became the first Knight to reach the 30‑point mark this season; the last to do so was former Knight Darius Johnson against Villanova on April 5, 2025. The performance also marked a career high for the Winston‑Salem native.
The Knights opened the second frame with another set of quick fouls, slipping back into a seven‑point hole, 47-40, with 17:28 remaining. An and‑one from Fulks brought them back within two, 51-49, yet again, at the 13:58 mark. But after a held ball and four rapid fouls, the Knights fell into yet another offensive drought, going nearly four minutes without a point and allowing Arizona to rebuild a 12‑point cushion, 61-49, with 10 minutes left.
NEW career high in pts (2️⃣8️⃣) for @ohyeahzero pic.twitter.com/Hf8kn7XUEZ
— UCF Men’s Hoops 🌴 (@UCF_MBB) January 17, 2026
Once again, Burks delivered the offensive energy needed, pouring in six straight points to pull the Knights back within single digits, 67-58, with 6:26 remaining. But despite the constant push‑and‑pull of the matchup, the Knights couldn’t break through, and their 24 fouls, compared to the Wildcats’ 13, ultimately proved to be their undoing.
Even after a late three‑pointer from Chris Johnson trimmed the deficit to six, 81-75, with just 24 seconds left, Arizona closed the door at the free‑throw line. The Wildcats sank 23 of their 33 attempts from the charity stripe, including nine in the final minute, to secure an 84-77 win on their way back to Tucson.
UP NEXT
The squad will take on No. 2 Iowa St. on the road, heading to Ames, Iowa, for a 7 PM tip in the Hilton Coliseum. The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network, or you can follow along on 96.9 The Game using the link 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.