Men's Hoops Snaps Three-Game Slide With 82-71 Win Over TCU

ORLANDO –  In a game it controlled from tipoff to the final whistle, UCF men’s hoops secured a dominant 82-71 victory over the TCU Horned Frogs, snapping its three-game losing skid in a convincing fashion on Tuesday evening inside Addition Financial Arena. 

Although TCU (16-10, 6-7 Big 12) narrowly outrebounded the Knights (18-7, 7-6), 36-34, the Black and Gold moved the ball effectively, recording 17 assists compared to the Frogs’ nine. They also clamped down defensively, holding TCU to just 19% shooting from beyond the arc.

Jordan Burks wasted no time setting the tone, drilling a three-pointer on the Knights’ opening possession to spark an early surge. Feeding off that energy, the Black and Gold tightened their grip on the defensive end of the hardwood, forcing three TCU turnovers in a 1:39 stretch. Burks capped the burst with back-to-back layups, giving the Knights a 9-2 cushion with just under four minutes gone in the first half.

TCU countered with a pair of threes, and a brief two-minute scoring drought slowed the Knights’ offense, trimming the lead to 11-10 at the 14:37 mark. But the Knights quickly regained control, ripping off a 6-0 run in just over a minute, while holding the Horned Frogs scoreless for more than three minutes. The effort earned the Knights a 10-point advantage, 24-14, with just under 10 minutes remaining in the opening frame.

Although both teams hit a late offensive lull, the Knights maintained their double-digit lead throughout. Burks, who tallied an impressive 16 points in the first half, buried his third three-pointer of the night just before the final media timeout, stretching the margin to 15, 24-39, their largest of the first half.

While TCU did its best to cut the deficit in the final minutes, Riley Kugel provided the exclamation point, hammering down a final dunk to send the Knights into the locker room firmly in command, 42-28.

Oh my goodness 🫢 | @RileyKugel pic.twitter.com/oq2n6cDl2X

— UCF Men’s Hoops 🌴 (@UCF_MBB) February 18, 2026

Coming out of the locker room with renewed energy, the Frogs did their best to maintain pace offensively, but the Knights kept their foot on the gas, holding a 13-point edge, 53-40, by the 14-minute mark. 

Even with the team’s trading baskets back and forth through the half, the Black and Gold remained firmly in the lead until an unanswered nine-point TCU scoring run, looked to be putting the game back within reach cutting the deficit to just 10, 65-55, with six minutes left on the game clock.

Back-to-back buckets from Fulks snapped the Knights' offensive troubles, however, igniting an 8-2 run of their own to once again push their lead back out to 14, 75-57, with just over three minutes left to play. 

 

Fulks was one of three players to score in double figures Tuesday night, finishing with 14 points and a team-high seven assists. George Beale Jr. added 11 points, shooting an impressive 3-for-4 from beyond the arc to record his first double-digit performance of conference play. But it was Burks performance that stood out, tying his career-high with 23 points while leading the team’s glass efforts with seven rebounds.

With the Horned Frogs closing the game out on an 8-0 run, TCU cut its deficit to single digits for the first time since the six-minute mark of the first half, but even so, the Black and Gold held on to secure an 82-71 victory.

UP NEXT
The Knights will travel to the Beehive State, where they will face Utah on Saturday, Feb. 21, before traveling to No. 22 BYU for an 11 PM tip on Tuesday, Feb. 24. The Knights' game against Utah will be broadcast live on ESPN+, while BYU will be aired on ESPN2, 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.