Men's Hoops Topples No. 17 Kansas, 81-75, in Big 12 Season OpenerMen's Hoops Topples No. 17 Kansas, 81-75, in Big 12 Season Opener

Men's Hoops Topples No. 17 Kansas, 81-75, in Big 12 Season Opener

by Aiden Kocol
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ORLANDO – "J-Mike [Jamichael Stillwell] and I were telling him during the game, ‘Bro, your time is gonna come. You’re going to get a big shot for us,’"  said UCF point guard Themus Fulks about Jordan Burks in the minutes following Saturday evening's matchup against No. 17 Kansas.

And he was right. With the game tied at 72 and under a minute remaining, Burks delivered when it mattered most. UCF and Kansas had battled every second, each team vying to start the Big 12 season 1-0. But Kansas’ hopes were dashed as Burks pulled up from the long range in the final moments, sinking a clutch three-pointer to lift the Knights to an 81-75 upset at Addition Financial Arena.

Although the Knights led for nearly 27 minutes, the game was a back-and-forth battle from the opening tip. Kansas held a narrow 10-9 edge at the 16-minute media timeout, with both teams trading baskets in quick succession. Midway through the first half, though, the pace stalled as the Jayhawks went scoreless for 3:15. UCF forced three turnovers but couldn’t turn convert, hitting a two-minute dry spell of its own, and by the 9:43 mark, Kansas still clung to a razor-thin 21-20 lead.

That changed when Riley Kugel took over. His layup at the 7:21 mark gave the Knights their first lead, and a pull-up three on the next possession pushed UCF in front 27-23. Building on that momentum, Jamichael Stillwell drained a three-pointer to push Knight’s lead to seven, 36-29, their largest lead of the opening frame, with just over four minutes to go. 

Kugel led the way for the Knights, finishing atop the stat sheet with 19 points on 8-of-17 shooting. Fulks and Burks also scored in double figures, contributing 16 and 14 points respectively, and each added four rebounds on the day, while Fulks piloted the offense with three assists.

Kansas made several attempts to reclaim the lead in the closing minutes of the half, but a last-second pull-up jumper from Fulks sent the Knights into the locker room with a 44-41 edge. The Black and Gold’s 44 first-half points marked the most the Jayhawks have allowed this season, after previously holding then-No. 5 Duke and then-No. 17 Tennessee to 41 points apiece.

The Knights opened the second half as strong as they ended the first, quickly extending their lead back to seven, 48-41, just 1:30 into the period. Refusing to let the game slip away, Kansas responded by clawing back to tie the game at 56 with 13:09 remaining. A three-pointer from Darryn Peterson, who ended the evening with 26 of Kansas's total points, gave the Jayhawks their first lead since 7:21 of the opening frame, 59-58, with just over 11 minutes to play.

UCF had an answer, though – four quick free throws from Devan Cambridge gave the Knights their lead back, 62-59, with a three-pointer from Burks to follow, pushing the Knights’ advantage to six, 65-59, with 9:53 to play. 

Capitalizing on that momentum, and a four-minute Jayhawk scoring drought, the Knights forced four turnovers to generate a 12-point run, taking the lead 70-61, their largest of the game, with just under five minutes remaining.

"We talked about the importance of taking care of the basketball and value and possessions, and I thought we did a great job against a team that's very active. They're long. They're one of the best defensive teams in the country, so I'm really happy with our guys in the way they handled their pressure and the way they took care of the basketball.”

Head Coach Johnny DawkinsOn the team's second half effort

Despite continued offensive struggles, Kansas surged back with a 7-0 run in just over a minute, pulling within two, 70-68, with 3:36 left and forcing a UCF timeout. Bringing that energy out of the break, the Jayhawks tied the game at 72 with 59 seconds to play. But pressing for the Knights' first Big 12 win, Burks delivered a pivotal three-pointer to put the Knights back on top, 75-72, with 42 seconds remaining. 

Although Kansas attempted to rally with a trio of free throws in the final moments, Burks’ basket proved decisive, as UCF held on to upset No. 17 Kansas, 81-75, in its Big 12 home opener.

This is the second consecutive season the Knights have won their conference opener, and the first time they've beaten a ranked opponent since last year's season home opener against then No. 13/15 Texas A&M. Dawkins, as a player and coach, is now a combined 7-3 in meetings against either Kansas or Bill Self, or a combination of both.

The Knights committed just six turnovers all evening while forcing 12 from the Jayhawks, who normally average 10.8 turnovers per game and force 9.46 themselves.

UP NEXT
Dawkins and his squad will travel to Stillwater, Okla., for their first Big 12 road contest of the season, facing the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Jan. 6 for an 8 PM tipoff.

STUDENT TICKET CLAIMS
Be sure to claim your ticket for the Knights' next home game on Jan. 11 against Cincinnati. 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.