Men's Hoops Topped, 92-72, at Cincinnati

CINCINNATI, Ohio – Despite having four Knights score in double figures on Sunday afternoon, the well-rounded effort ultimately came up short as UCF Men’s Hoops fell to the Cincinnati Bearcats, 92-72, in Fifth Third Arena.

Even though UCF (17-6, 6-5 Big 12) forced 11 giveaways while giving up only eight of their own, it was Cincinnati’s (12-12, 4-7) sharp-shooting performance that gave them the edge. The Bearcats, who usually average 8.2 three-pointers a game behind a 30.4 percent mark, had a conference-best performance from beyond the arc on Sunday afternoon, knocking down 11 threes on 61.1 percent shooting. 

Despite the Bearcats jumping out to a quick 5-0 start, the Knights steadied their offense with back-to-back buckets from Riley Kugel to get on the board and cut the deficit to three, 7-4, by the 16:51 mark. An inefficient 2-of-10 mark from behind the arc in the first half proved detrimental to the Knights’ early momentum, allowing Cincinnati to stretch its lead to eight, 21-13, with just under 10 minutes remaining in the opening frame. 

Unwilling to let the deficit reach double digits, Jordan Burks knocked down a timely tre to halt the slide and spark an 11-point run that tied the game at 26 with 5:30 left in the first half. However, even with the mid-half surge, a three-minute scoring drought, combined with a 14-2 Bearcat run to close the half, sent the Black and Gold into the locker room trailing by 12, 40-28.

Burks finished the day atop the stat sheet with a team-high 16 points, providing a steady presence while shooting an efficient 7-of-9 from the free-throw line. Chris Johnson added an extra spark with 16 points of his own and helped direct the offense with a team-high six assists. Meanwhile, Kugel chipped in 10 points, while Jamicheal Stillwell added 14 points and nine rebounds.

The Bearcats opened the second frame with the same rhythm they ended the first, ripping off a 9-0 run to extend their lead to 21 points, 49-28, with just under two minutes elapsed in the second half. An 11-0 surge, coupled with a two-minute scoring drought, powered by back-to-back buckets from Johnson, looked to be swinging things back in the right direction for the Black and Gold as they cut their deficit to six, 62-56, with just over nine-minutes on the game clock. 

The run proved to be short-lived, though, as a 19-3 Bearcat burst shut the Knights out once again and pushed them back into a 22-point deficit with 5:45 remaining. Despite the Black and Gold’s best efforts to claw back within striking distance, the comeback fell short as Cincinnati ultimately came away with a 92-72 victory.

 

UP NEXT
The Knights will take a six-day break, returning to action Saturday, Feb. 14, at Addition Financial Arena against the West Virginia Mountaineers. The game will tipoff at 6 PM on FS1, 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.