Men’s Hoops Outlasts South Alabama with Strong Three-Point Shooting, 76-69

ORLANDO - Fueled by a 17-for-38 performance from beyond the arc and a career night from Carmelo Pacheco, UCF men's basketball (3-0) powered past South Alabama (1-2), 76-69, Tuesday night inside Addition Financial Arena.

Pacheco erupted for a career-high of eight 3-pointers to lead the Black and Gold alongside Dior Johnson, who also poured in 24 points and eight assists. Pacheco’s three-point shooting showcase is tied for second in program history alongside Darius Johnson, Jason Thornton, Brad Traina and Harry Kennedy.

Johnson wasted no time getting the Knights on the board, drilling a 3-pointer just 14 seconds into the contest. Arturo Dean followed with a layup before Isaiah Malone added another triple to give UCF an early offensive spark.

South Alabama responded by building a nine-point advantage, but team captain Cayden Vasko provided a spark of his own, knocking down his first 3-pointer as a Knight before connecting from deep again just a minute later.

The Jaguars continued to apply pressure, but Pacheco kept the Knights within striking distance. The senior caught fire at 7:08, draining two 3-pointers in a span of 46 seconds.

Pacheco wasn't finished. With 43 seconds remaining in the first half, he connected on his third 3-pointer of the night before drilling another with four seconds left, both off assists from Johnson. Despite the late surge, South Alabama carried a narrow 34-32 advantage into the locker room.

The Jaguars struck first coming out of the break, but Johnson answered with a 3-pointer to keep the Knights within reach.

Pacheco then took over. He buried another triple at the 16:35 mark before connecting again just 30 seconds later, tying his previous career high with six 3-pointers and propelling UCF to its first lead of the night at 41-37.

Johnson kept the momentum rolling with a jumper and another 3-pointer, extending the Knights' advantage to 46-41. Pacheco wasn't done rewriting his career best, knocking down his seventh triple of the night with 13:52 remaining to establish a new career high.

Riley Kugel added a layup before connecting from beyond the arc for his first 3-pointer of the season, pushing the Knights' lead to 64-53 with 8:55 remaining.

With his record-setting night still gaining momentum, Pacheco delivered once more, burying his eighth 3-pointer of the evening with 5:03 left on the clock. His eight triples marked a new career high, surpassing his previous best of six against Howard on Nov. 30, 2024.

Churchill Abass added a layup down the stretch, marking his first points as a Knight. He finished with four points, a team-high eight rebounds, including three offensive boards and a steal.

TEAM NOTES

• The Knights earned their first ever victory over the Jaguars and extended their non-conference winning streak to 13 games. 
• UCF connected on 17 three-pointers in the victory, falling just two shy of the program's single-game record of 19, set against FGCU on Dec. 20, 2025. The Knights shot 44.7% from beyond the arc (17-38) with 51 of their 76 points coming from three-point range.
• The Knights outscored South Alabama 44-35 in the second half, despite going into halftime down by two. The second-half was decorated with seven South Alabama turnovers, converting them into 14 points. 

PLAYER NOTES

• Dior Johnson led the Knights with 24 points, extending his streak of consecutive 20-point performances to seven games. Johnson shot 7-12 from the field and 4/8 from beyond the arc, tying his career high for made three-pointers in a single-game.
• Carmelo Pacheco matched Johnson with a team-high 24 points, crushing his previous UCF career high of 17. All 24 of Pacheco's points came from beyond the arc, finishing 8-12 from three-point range. 
• Johnson also established new career highs in both assists and steals, recording nine assists to pass his previous six and five steals to surpass his previous high of four.
• Pacheco’s eight made three-pointers set a new career high, breaking his previous mark of six against Howard on Nov. 30, 2024. His performance ranks second in UCF single-game history, making him the first Knight to connect on more than seven three-pointers in a game since Darius Johnson against Milwaukee in 2024.
• Churchill Abass led the Knights on the glass with eight rebounds, including three offensive boards, while adding four points and a steal to his performance. 

UP NEXT

The Knights remain at home to face Georgia Southern at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 13 on ESPN+.

SEASON TICKETS ON SALE NOW

UCF men's basketball tickets are on sale now, including season tickets, single-game tickets and mini plans. Be sure to catch all the action starting Nov. 2 as the Knights return to the court. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling the UCF Ticket Office at (407) 823-1000.

Season tickets, single-game tickets and mini plans are available now.

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.