KANSAS CITY - In its 2026 Big 12 Tournament first-round contest, UCF women’s basketball couldn’t find its stride offensively, falling to Kansas in a low-scoring affair Wednesday night at T-Mobile Arena, 56-35.
While the 14th-seeded Knights forced 16 turnovers from the 11th-seeded Jayhawks and limited them to a 6-19 clip from beyond the arc, a poor night from the field never gave the Black and Gold an opportunity to climb back into the contest.
HOW IT HAPPENED
On the heels of a Kristol Ayson three, Khyala Ngodu was left alone in the paint, grabbing the offensive board and finishing for the Knights’ first points of the night. A stagnant opening to the first quarter saw turnovers from both sides, combining for a 5-15 clip from the field, as it sat level four apiece heading into the media timeout.
Opposite one of the nation’s most efficient teams from beyond the arc, the Jayhawks downed a trio of three pointers out of the break to secure a commanding 17-10 lead. A 0-5 stretch from the field halted a promising start for the UCF offense, with 80 percent of its points coming within the paint.
An over-three-minute scoring drought to conclude the first period bled into the second, and while the Black and Gold defense only suffered a lone field goal by the 6:26 mark in the second, the Kansas lead had grown to nine. Kansas’ prolific shooting made each possession for the Knights vital.
Seven minutes and 52 seconds after the Black and Gold’s last points, freshman Felicia Scholander knocked down a corner three to break the dry spell. The 0-12 stretch from the field and a high-paced Kansas offense put the Jayhawks up 24-10 before the Swedish native connected on just her second collegiate three-pointer.
Facing a 27-17 deficit at halftime, UCF’s struggles from the field persisted into the opening minutes of the third quarter. A stern Kansas defensive effort limited the Knights to a lone Jacorriah Bracey field goal before the media timeout at the 4:44 mark, increasing its lead to 16 in the process.
Kansas City native Summer Yancy ignited a strong conclusion to the quarter, downing a three before a pair of Ngodu free throws and an Ayson layup cut the Kansas lead to 13 heading into the final 10 minutes.
A back-and-forth affair to start the final quarter saw Ngodu reject her fourth shot of the game, marking her second-consecutive performance with four or more blocks. While UCF aimed to cut the lead down to double digits, some key three-pointers from the Jayhawks put the contest out of reach.
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.