Dr. Blackwell's BLOG

The UCF Knights (10-2; 1-0 Big XII) marched into Lubbock on Tuesday and handed the Red Raiders of Texas Tech (9-3; 0-1 Big XII) an 87-83 loss. Per UCF Athletics:

The UCF men’s basketball team started celebrating the new year early by launching fireworks of its own before the stroke of midnight in its Big 12 Conference opener, topping Texas Tech 87-83 thanks to a second-consecutive game shooting greater than 50% from the field. Keyshawn Hall was a perfect seven-for-seven from the floor in the first half, dropping 17 points while Darius Johnson had 17 of his own in the second to power the Knights to a New Year’s Eve victory on the road.

“It was a hard-fought win. They’re all well earned in the Big 12. I thought our guys did a good job of understanding what we had to do to give ourselves a chance to win. Really proud of our guys, they really came ready to play tonight. They were well prepared, as was Texas Tech; we beat a good team tonight.”JOHNNY DAWKINSUCF MEN’S BASKETBALL HEAD COACH

UCF’s offense was on display for the entirety of the first half, shooting 57.1% with 47 points, tied for the most in a game this season. The offensive eruption was a continuation of the Knights’ last contest 10 days ago, thumping Jacksonville 86-66 while shooting 58.7%, the highest mark since shooting 60.4% against Temple on Jan. 2, 2019. Hall led the charge on Tuesday afternoon, starting the contest a perfect 7-for-7 from the floor including a trio of three pointers, chalking up 17 points in the first half.

“I was just staying aggressive outside because I didn’t want to make my game one dimensional. I know I can get downhill so I was just trying to stay confident in my jump shot through the whole like I’ve done this whole season. The coaches and everybody have been giving me confidence in practice to shoot it, so I’ve been getting in the gym extra and just shooting it, so when guys back up, I let it rip.”KEYSHAWN HALLUCF JUNIOR GUARD/FORWARD

Texas Tech opened the scoring with two buckets in its first two trips down the floor. The pair of quick scores wound up being the Red Raiders’ largest lead of the game just 68 seconds into the contest. UCF’s first points game on a couple of Johnson free throws at the 17:45 mark. Hall got going with a defensive rebound and a jumper and also scored on the Knights next trip down the floor, locking the score at 6-6. Dallan ‘Deebo’ Coleman earned a steal and got his first points of the tilt 4:30 into it, putting UCF in front. Another Hall layup followed by a Coleman three-pointer gave the Knights an early seven-point edge at 13-6 with 14:17 remaining.

The Red Raiders jumped in front briefly with an 8-0 run over the next 90 seconds or so, but proved to be their final lead of the contest at 14-13. Moustapha Thiam banged home a three-pointer to get the Black and Gold back in front, his first of two made triples on three total attempts from deep on the afternoon, doubling his season total of made threes.

The first half lead didn’t move north of six points until there were six minutes left in the opening frame as UCF pulled out to a 36-29 lead. Texas Tech continued to make shots in its own offensive end to the tune of a 44.4% clip to keep the game close as the Knights carried a 47-41 lead into the break.

UCF surrendered the first basket of the second half, but from there, it was nearly all Knights for the next five minutes. Thiam fought his way to the rim for a tip-in prior to a Hall three-pointer to put the Black and Gold up nine at 54-45. After a Texas Tech make to draw back within seven, Jordan Ivy-Curry nailed a step back jumper followed by a layup and three pointer from Thiam. Johnson drove the lane for a tough layup and put the Knights in front by 16 at 61-45.

The Knights continued to hold a double-digit lead, eventually reaching a game-best 18-point edge with 10:06 remaining with a trio of Ivy-Curry free throws, making it 71-53. Texas Tech responded with its best run of the game, putting up 11 straight points to whittle the lead to seven with 7:30 to play. The Red Raiders refused to go away, trimming the lead to six at 79-73 heading into the final media timeout.

“We were trying to find ways to manufacture points, especially when they were making their runs, we tried to find ways to put guys in position to be successful. Ultimately, players have to make plays, and I thought whether it was Keyshawn or Darius, I thought those guys made the plays that were in front of them at the time, and that’s all you can ask. First half, I thought Keyshawn really set the tone for us and helped us get going and in the second half, Darius really started putting his foot on the pedal a little bit more.”JOHNNY DAWKINS UCF MEN’S BASKETBALL HEAD COACH

Johnson was clutch down the stretch, burying a three-pointer from way downtown out of the media timeout to extend the lead back to nine. Texas Tech answered with two makes, but again Johnson had an answer, earning a pair of points in the paint to make it 84-78 with 2:30 on the clock. After missing the front end of a pair of free throws, Tech’s JT Toppin, who finished the contest with a game-high 26 points, earned another pair for his team to cut UCF’s lead to a single possession at 84-81 with 75 seconds to play.

Toppin again tried to carry his team back to a lead, scoring off a UCF turnover to make it a one-point game with 37 ticks of the clock left. Johnson was fouled bringing the ball up the floor on the ensuing possession with 19 seconds left and cashed in on his two free throws. The Red Raiders came up empty on their next possession as a missed three pointer to tie the contest went wide and eventually out of play, giving the Knights possession with eight seconds remaining. Johnson again was fouled and made one-of-two from the charity stripe to give UCF the 87-83 edge. Texas Tech’s final heave was off as the Black and Gold secured the road victory and a 1-0 start to league play.

“I thought our guys did a really good job of understanding those big moments, guys were stepping up and making plays. We have some experienced guys on our roster and they played composed, so when the lead was getting cut or it was a one possession game, that’s when their poise showed.”JOHNNY DAWKINSUCF MEN’S BASKETBALL HEAD COACH

Johnson missed just twice in the second half, going five-of-six from the field, a perfect two-of-two from three-point range and five-of-six to compile 17 points. He led UCF on the stat sheet with 24 points, his fifth 20+ point outing this season and 13th of his career. Hall’s 22-point performance was his second-straight game with 20 or more points after scoring 21 against Jacksonville. It was his fifth 20+ point showing on the campaign and 15th of his career. Only Ivy-Curry boasts more career 20+ point performances on UCF’s roster with 18. Ivy-Curry had his double-digit point streak snapped on Tuesday, scoring nine points after earning 10 or more points in his first 11 games as a Knight.

UCF’s 87-point performance in its Big 12 opener was more points than it had scored in any Big 12 regular season win during the 2023-24 campaign and one shy of tying the most they had scored in any conference game last season. UCF’s 87 points represent the 44th time that UCF has scored 80 points or more under Dawkins, improving to 39-5 in those games. Dating back to last season, the Knights have won their last three Big 12 road games, beating Oklahoma State 77-71 on Feb. 28 and TCU  79-77 on March 9.

The Black and Gold’s besting of Texas Tech snapped its perfect 8-0 record and dropped the Red Raiders to 12-17 all-time in Big 12 openers. UCF now leads the all-time series against Texas Tech 2-1 with a pair of consecutive wins, including a Big 12-play best 14 points in Orlando to the tune of a 75-61 win on Feb. 24 last season.

The Knights have won six straight with Tuesday’s victory and is UCF’s first six-game winning streak since the 2019-20 season. A win in its next contest would be the first seven-game winning streak since the Knights’ magical 2018-19 season that ended in an NCAA Tournament berth and first win in March Madness in program history. UCF is out to a 10-2 start for the third time in the last four campaigns and fifth total time under Dawkins.

UCF sunk 10 three-pointers on Tuesday afternoon, its second consecutive game doing so and fifth total occurrence through 12 contests thus far. The Knights accomplished that feat just twice last season. Additionally, UCF already has three games where they’ve shot 50% or better from the floor after doing that just four times in the previous campaign.

Texas Tech’s defense entered the game ranking 26th in the nation in scoring defense, averaging 63.3 points scored by opponents. UCF bested that mark by over 20 points, and also shot 51.8% on Tuesday, 12.3% better than the Red Raiders’ 45th-ranked field goal percentage defense. The win was the 55th time a Dawkins-led UCF team has shot 50% or better, improving to 51-4 in those games.

Dawkins continues to have his squad dialed during the month of December, now 43-12 during the month in his tenure, including a perfect 4-0 this season.

UP NEXT
The Knights return home to Addition Financial Arena for their first home game of the Big 12 slate for a contest against No. 7 Kansas at 4 p.m. on Sunday on ESPN+. UCF opens its home league schedule against Kansas for the second straight campaign, besting the No. 3 Jayhawks 65-60 on Jan. 10 for the highest ranked win in program history. The Black and Gold return to Orlando boasting an 8-0 home record after going perfect through its non-conference schedule for the first time since 2011-12.

FOLLOW THE KNIGHTS
Follow UCF men’s basketball on X (@UCF_MBB), Instagram (@UCF.MBB) and Facebook (/UCFMensBasketball).

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After Gus Malzahn’s departure, UCF has decided to hire the football Coach that gave its program its most notoriety and success, Scott Frost. Per UCF Athletics:

ORLANDO – After an unforgettable two-year run that saw the UCF football program rise to national prominence, Scott Frost is coming back home. Known for sparking the “Charge On” spirit and guiding UCF to its first perfect season, Frost has been named the next head football coach at UCF by Vice President and Director of Athletics Terry Mohajir. Frost and UCF agreed on a five-year contract through the 2029 season.

“Today marks an exciting reunion for UCF Football as we welcome back Scott Frost, a coach who ignites the spirit and passion of Knight Nation,” Mohajir said. “Scott’s love for his players, along with his leadership, enthusiasm and vision were pivotal in making the decision to bring him back to UCF. Throughout this national search, his passion for UCF was clear. I believe no one wanted to lead our program more than Scott.”

Frost originally served as UCF’s head coach from 2016 to 2017, culminating in a historic 13-0 season, an AAC championship and a national championship that captured the nation’s attention. In his final game, Frost guided UCF to a victory over No. 7 Auburn in the 2018 Peach Bowl, securing the program’s first undefeated season in school history.

Frost posted the greatest two-year turnaround in college football history at UCF, inheriting a 0-12 team in 2015 and taking the Knights to a perfect season in his second and final year, when he was named the national coach of the year.

Frost began his coaching career at Northern Iowa in 2007 as a linebackers coach and was promoted to co-defensive coordinator in 2008. That season, his defense excelled, tying for third in the FCS with 40 takeaways and ranking ninth in scoring defense, allowing just 17.7 points per game. The 12-3 Panthers also led the Missouri Valley Football Conference in both rushing defense (107.1 yards per game) and scoring defense.

In 2009, Frost joined the Oregon coaching staff as the wide receivers coach under head coach Chip Kelly and offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich. Over his four seasons in this role, Oregon appeared in four consecutive BCS bowls, and three of Frost’s wide receivers earned invitations to NFL camps.

After Kelly left for the Philadelphia Eagles, Oregon promoted Mark Helfrich to head coach and named Frost offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2013. In this role, Frost guided Marcus Mariota to a Heisman Trophy win and a berth in the national championship game. During Frost’s tenure as offensive coordinator, Oregon recorded a 33–8 record and consistently ranked among the nation’s top teams in scoring and total offense. His standout performance in 2014 earned him a finalist spot for the prestigious Broyles Award, recognizing the nation’s top assistant coach.

Following his two years at UCF, Scott Frost served as the head football coach at the University of Nebraska for four-plus seasons. This season, Frost has been serving as a coaching consultant for Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams.

Story Courtesy UCF Athletics:

In the midst of the euphoric chaos unfolding on the floor around him, senior guard Darius Johnson reflected on the job he and his team accomplished.

“It’s a great experience, but we’re supposed to get that win. We went into the game expecting to win, and nothing less.”

Johnson, in the first game of his fourth season donning the Black and Gold, took up his mantle as their leader, dropping a game-high 24 points to lead the UCF men’s basketball team to a statement 64-61 opening night upset victory over the No. 13 Texas A&M Aggies at Addition Financial Arena Monday evening.

The winning effort represented the 11th over a ranked opponent in program history, the fourth in the last two years, and the first in three tries in a season-opener.

In the current calendar year alone, the Knights have now toppled four top 25 opponents on their home floor, also besting then-No. 3 Kansas Jan. 10, then-No. 23 Oklahoma Feb. 3, and then-No. 23 Texas Tech Feb. 24. The contest also marked the ninth of UCF’s 11 all-time ranked wins to have been achieved under Dawkins.

A testament to head coach Johnny Dawkins, Monday evening’s feat, the first win by UCF in the first meeting between the two programs, was accomplished with just two returning players who played tonight from the 2023-24 campaign, Johnson and sophomore guard Nils Machowski.

“What an opening game, to play against a team with that type of experience and talent. I thought it was great for our team,” Dawkins said. “You bring in 11 new guys, you don’t know what to expect, and they showed me something today. They can play with composure and the moment wasn’t too big for them. They beat a really good, well-coached team.”

The Knights gained momentum early with a hot hand from beyond the arc and later iced the game from the free throw line.

Staring up at a 10-point deficit for the fourth time, UCF, having made just five field goals through the first 10:58 of the second half, made the adjustment against a staunch Aggies defense that led the SEC in rebounding and ranked fifth in scoring defense last season.

The Black and Gold forced 17 free throw attempts through the game’s final six minutes and 51 seconds, converting 13 to help erase a 54-44 Aggies advantage and end the contest with eight unanswered points. Two key blocks by sophomore JJ Taylor on the defensive end, both coming in the final two minutes, were not lost on Johnson as crucial moments in halting any late Texas A&M momentum.

“JJ, he made a lot of great plays down the stretch, defensively and offensively,” Johnson continued. “He had a great offensive rebound to put us up one, which was a huge play down the stretch. As leaders and older guys on the team, we’ve been pushing JJ to get more out of him, and he’s been doing a great job with that. He came out and showcased his abilities tonight.”

A shaky start that saw the Knights fail on each of their first eight tries from the field was quickly shoved aside with an emphatic dunk by junior transfer Keyshawn Hall, giving UCF its first two points of the season while trimming the Aggies’ lead to 6-2 just under five minutes in.

Taylor opened the floodgates moments later, drilling his team’s first 3-point shot of the night to ignite a stretch that saw him score seven on the strength of four consecutive made tries from the line.

Johnson, on the heels of his single-season career best 15.2 points per game a year ago, connected on his first two tries from beyond the arc around a converted Jordan Ivy-Curry 3-point try, slimming Texas A&M’s lead to 23-18 with 8:03 on the first-half clock.

Ivy-Curry then followed an Aggies dunk with four more points of his own to keep his team close, then joined Johnson in making consecutive triples to help the Knights to a 29-29 tie at halftime.

“They have a lot of character,” Dawkins said. “We worked out this summer and fall, and what I saw are guys who love to compete and love to win. We’re playing against each other in practice, it’s very competitive, and that’s how you get better. They did a good job understanding what they need to do to work their way back in the game.”

Johnson added two more 3-point shots in the early stages of the second half before the Aggies built their lead back up to double figures, coming one triple shy of tying his single-game career high of six he set against the BYU Cougars March 13, 2024.

Having entered the season just 58 points shy of 1,000 in his career, the veteran guard also now needs just 34 more to become the 21st Knight in program history to reach the plateau, and join Ivy-Curry and Jaylin Sellers as the third Knight on the active roster with a 1,000-point resume.

In their respective UCF debuts, Ivy-Curry (16), Taylor (10) and Hall (10) joined Johnson in double-digit scoring, while freshman Moustapha Thiam, the first five-star recruit and the highest-ranked recruit in program history, made his seven-foot, two-inch frame felt with six blocks, finishing two shy of the program’s single-game record.

“This is a statement game,” Johnson continued. “Moving forward we want to make people respect us.”

UP NEXT
UCF will look to continue the momentum accrued from its prolific victory, hosting Purdue Fort Wayne in its next contest Friday, Nov. 8. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. from Addition Financial Arena and will be streamed on ESPN+.

FOLLOW THE KNIGHTS
Follow UCF men’s basketball on X (@UCF_MBB), Instagram (@UCF.MBB) and Facebook (/UCFMensBasketball).

The UCF Knights (2-0; 0-0 Big XII) dominated both sides of the ball Saturday with a sold-out, rain soaked-filled FBS Mortgage Stadium. Per UCF Athletics:

 ORLANDO – Saturday’s game was delayed 30 minutes due to lightning in the area, but that didn’t have any impact on a hot start for UCF, as the Knights scored on six of their first seven drives to earn a 45-14 victory against Sam Houston at FBC Mortgage Stadium.

For the second consecutive game, the Black and Gold compiled more than 550 yards of total offense, including 384 rushing yards. Defensively, UCF forced two turnovers and held Sam Houston to just 67 rushing yards.

UCF has now opened the season with a 2-0 record in three of Malzahn’s four seasons in Orlando. Saturday’s game also marked the 200th FBS win for the Knights as a program since making the transition from FCS in 1996.

Knights running back RJ Harvey tied the program record and set a career high with four rushing touchdowns, while surpassing 100 yards rushing for the 10th time in his career. The Orlando native finished with 126 rushing yards on 19 carries, finding the end zone four times – the first player to do so since Isaiah Bowser in 2021.

The preseason Doak Walker Award Watch List honoree recorded the first two touchdowns of the game, scoring from 19 yards out and on a two-yard rush to cap 80-yard and 76-yard drives, respectively.

For the third time in his career, UCF kicker Colton Boomer booted a 50-yard field goal as he split the uprights to extend the Knights’ early advantage to 17-0 in the second quarter. The Lake Mary native had a pair of 50-yarders in the Boise State game last season, including the game-winner.

KJ Jefferson led the offense from his quarterback position, going 12-for-15 passing for 169 yards. He also rushed for 50 yards on nine attempts. Wide receiver Kobe Hudson reeled in 104 of those, eclipsing the 100-yard receiving mark for the sixth time in his career.

Defensively, the Black and Gold were dominant throughout the game, limiting the Bearkats to 118 yards and just 16 rushing at halftime. In comparison, UCF had already rushed for 243 yards and Harvey accounted for 115 yards on 16 carries with three rushing touchdowns in the first 30 minutes.

The Knights tallied two interceptions for the second straight game, as Mac McWilliams and Sheldon Arnoldeach came down with their first interceptions in a UCF uniform.

Quadric Bullard, Nyjalik Kelly and Xe’ree Alexander led the defensive effort each with six tackles. Kelly notched the Knights’ first sack of the season, forced a fumble and had a pass breakup.

UCF returns to action next weekend when the Knights travel to TCU to open Big 12 Conference play. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on FOX from Amon G. Carter Stadium.

The UCF Knights (1-0; 0-0 Big XII) knocked off New Hampshire 57-3 (0-1; 0-0 CAA) in front of a sold-out crowd at FBS Mortgage Stadium Thursday night. As reported by UCF Athletics:

After ranking among the nation’s top 10 in rushing offense the past two seasons, the UCF football program is poised to have another strong year on the ground in 2024. The Knights rushed for 454 yards, the second most in program history, Thursday night en route to a 57-3 victory against New Hampshire in the season opener at FBC Mortgage Stadium.

Additionally, UCF’s 8.4 rushing yards per carry are the second most in a single game in program history.  The Black and Gold had eight different players carry the football in the contest with five Knights rushing for at least 40 yards. UCF had 14 rushes of 10 yards or more, headlined by a 60-yard rush from running back RJ Harvey.

“I’m proud of our team. Taking care of business with a convincing win. Looking at the game, I just told the players the thing that stood out to me is only three penalties. We’ve been really focused on not beating ourselves.”GUS MALZAHN UCF FOOTBALL HEAD COACH

In addition to the offense, the Knights’ defense was stellar throughout the contest limiting the Wildcats to just nine first downs. UCF’s aggressive defense forced two interceptions, as linebacker Deshawn Paceswung the momentum in the Knights’ favor early in the second quarter when he jumped in front of Seth Morgan’s pass for his sixth career pick.

Following a pair of Colton Boomer field goals in the first half, Pace nearly recorded a pick six as he was knocked out of bounds at the three-yard line after a 37-yard return. One play later, quarterback KJ Jefferson found the end zone for the Knights’ first touchdown of the season to give UCF a 13-0 lead.

Tabbed as one of the top special teams players in the country by College Football Network last season, Ladarius Tennison raced through the middle of the UNH punt unit to block the attempt and it was recovered by the Wildcats in the endzone for a safety.

From there, the Black and Gold scored 23 points in the second quarter to own a 29-3 lead at halftime behind a pair of rushing TDs from Harvey. The 2024 Doak Walker Award Preseason Watch List selection surpassed 100 yards rushing for the third consecutive game dating back to last season and the ninth time in his career. The Orlando native finished with 11 carries for 142 yards, averaging 12.9 yards per rush – second most by an individual in program history.

Following the intermission, UCF forced four consecutive punts to pull away from the Wildcats with 28 points in the third quarter. Making his debut in the Black and Gold, Myles Montgomery notched his first career receiving touchdown on a 49-yard catch from KJ Jefferson. His backfield mate, Peny Boone found the endzone a few minutes with a 59-yard scamper to push the Knights’ advantage to 43-3.

“Defensively, we played a big-time game,” said Malzahn. “I think [Deshawn] Pace’s Interception, that was the one that really turned the game into being able to breathe a little bit. [Ladarius] Tennison had the block punt right there. I mean, he was one of the better special teams players in college football last year, and it showed. Xavier Townsend was big time in the return game.”

Boone had seven rushes for 81 yards and Montgomery logged 77 yards on eight rushes. Johnny Richardsonpitched in with 40 rushing yards and a 22-yard touchdown reception.

Sophomore Antione Jackson came up with the Knights’ second interception of the day and Montgomery quickly turned it into six points for UCF, scoring from 25 yards out. It marked the first time he’s scored a touchdown on the ground and receiving in the same game in his career.

Pace led the defense with five tackles, including three solo, while Braeden Marshall had a great game with four tackles, including two tackles for loss and a pass breakup. Mac McWilliams notched four tackles with a TFL.

UCF returns to action at home next weekend when the Sam Houston Bearkats visit Orlando. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. from FBC Mortgage Stadium on ESPN+.

Photo and story, courtesy UCF Athletics.

Story and Photo Courtesy UCF Athletics:

ORLANDO – “The message for us is simple: We belong.”

UCF men’s basketball coach Johnny Dawkins made his declaration Jan. 4 prior to the Knights’ Big 12 Conference opener at Kansas State, and in front of a raucous, sellout home crowd Wednesday night, they proved it.

Built upon a second-half surge and stifling efforts on the defensive end, UCF put its new conference on notice, toppling the No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks by a 65-60 final score before 9,469 fans at Addition Financial Arena, marking the third largest crowd in program history and the second highest in a regular season game.

The victory ranks among the most prolific in program history, representing the first against a top three nationally-ranked opponent, the second against a top five foe, and the ninth against a squad ranked within the top 25. En route to the team’s upset, the Knights (10-4, 1-1 Big 12), erased a Jayhawks (13-2, 1-1 Big 12) lead that grew to as many as 16 points with 3:45 remaining in the first half.

“It was a great night for UCF. Our guys kept fighting in a game in which they got down early in the first half to a very good Kansas basketball team,” Dawkins said. “I’m proud of the way we fought back with great courage, effort and energy throughout the entire night.”

In the first meeting between the two programs in either’s history, the Knights also notched their first win within Big 12 Conference play and extended a few notable win streaks Dawkins himself owns against Kansas and its head coach, Bill Self.

UCF’s Wednesday effort represented his second win against the Jayhawks as a head coach, joining his triumph over Kansas as the head coach of the Stanford Cardinal March 23, 2014 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Overall, Dawkins improved to 4-0 against the Jayhawks in his career, after he also bested Kansas twice as a player with Duke in the 1985-86 season.

Against Self, Dawkins also improved to 4-0, having previously beaten his now-fellow head coach as an assistant coach with Duke in the tournament’s second round in 1999 when Self was at Tulsa, and in 2000 Dawkins bested Self when the latter was with Illinois as well.

With the two squads trading blows throughout much of the second half, the Knights finally claimed a lead they would not relinquish with 2:57 to play in the final half.

Fifth year forward Ibrahima Diallo grabbed a pass from junior guard Jaylin Sellers just outside the paint and finished a turnaround jumper just moments later, giving his team a 59-57 advantage.

Fellow fifth year CJ Walker, who made his first start for the Knights since March 11, 2022, gave UCF a bit of breathing room with a pair of free throws, and a Sellers layup coupled with two more converted free throw tries from junior guard Darius Johnson iced the Knights’ first win against a top five-ranked opponent since the team prevailed against then-No. 4 UConn by a 68-63 final score Nov. 25, 2011.

The timely shot by Diallo punctuated one of the better all-around games authored by the Saly, Senegal, native, finishing with a season-high 13 points and five total rebounds. The contest marked his highest-scoring effort since he recorded 16 points against California Baptist Nov. 18, 2021 with San Jose State.

“He was great,” Dawkins said of Diallo. “He’s going against arguably the best ‘big’ in college basketball, Hunter Dickinson is a terrific player. For Ibrahima to go toe-to-toe with him and have to battle him in the low post, he did a great job, and I’m proud of the way he stepped up and gave us a huge effort tonight.”

The final sequence, one that saw the Knights outscore the Jayhawks 8-3 and limit Kansas to one field goal in the game’s final 3:23 of play, represented a microcosm of the team’s dominant second half in the face of a daunting opponent.

After entering the final 20 minutes staring up at an eight-point deficit, Sellers, Diallo, Walker and fifth year guard Shemarri Allen combined for UCF’s first 16 points of the half while the team held Kansas to just seven in the first 6:47 of gametime to claim a 45-44 lead.

“We knew we had zone (defense) in our bag,” Dawkins added. “It’s something that we work on and we felt it was timely to play some today. That’s why you saw our guys play it so well, because they’re accustomed to playing it in practice. We were able to stay with it longer because it was effective at times in the second half.”

Johnson followed a Sellers turnaround jumpshot with his second triple of the game, and Omar Payne followed with a dunk on the fastbreak that capitalized on a Johnson steal that built the Knights’ lead to 50-44 with 11:01 to play before the Jayhawks made their final push to narrow the affairs.

UCF began its evening as dominant as it finished, jumping out to a 7-0 lead on the strength of five Sellers points. On the heels of a 12-0 Kansas run, the Knights hung with the visitors thanks to a 7-4 spurt down the stretch and a 10-2 UCF run to conclude the opening 20 minutes that pared the Jayhawks’ 35-19 lead down to 37-29 at the halftime buzzer.

“When they get that type of lead, you start to get knocked back a little bit,” Dawkins continued. “In our timeouts, I was trying to settle them down and stress that we have to take it possession by possession. We talked about working our way back in it in that last four-minute segment, and we were able to do that.”

Sellers paced the team with a game-high 18 points, marking his 11th game with at least 15 points and his 13th game in double figures. Johnson, meanwhile, recorded his third-highest scoring game this season with 17 points, and his sixth with at least 10 points.

UP NEXT

The Knights have a quick turnaround to their next Big 12 test, when the Black and Gold will welcome the No. 18/17 BYU Cougars to Addition Financial Arena Saturday afternoon. Tipoff for the contest is slated for 4 p.m. Jan. 13 and will be streamed on ESPN+.

Watch the video below (courtesy ESPN) to see the UCF students storm the court after beating Kansas on Wednesday night:

https://www.espn.com/core/video/iframe/_/id/39282875/endcard/false

After finishing its first season in the Big 12 Conference with a 6-6 record (3-6 Big 12) and a 27-13 win against the Houston Cougars (4-8; 2-7 Big 12), the UCF Knights are heading to the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl to face ACC foe Georgia Tech (6-6; 5-3 ACC). The game will mark the 6th time the Knights have participated in that Bowl game, with its most recent trip in 2021, when they beat the Florida Gators 29-17.

“We’re not satisfied with how everything turned out, but we’re happy that in the first year, we went to a bowl,” coach Gus Malzahn said after the win over the Cougars. “Now we need to focus on winning that bowl and get some momentum going in next year.” A victory against the Yellowjackets would be an amazing cap on a shaky first season in the Big 12. UCF saw a 5-game losing streak (also accompanied by the loss of starting quarterback Jonathan Rhys Plumlee for 4 of those contests) but also a HUGE 45-3 slashing of Oklahoma State (which played in the Big 12 Conference Championship game but ultimately lost to the Texas Longhorns).

Georgia Tech does hold a lead over UCF in their series (3-2). During their last match on September 24, 2022, UCF beat Georgia Tech handily, 27-10. The head coach of Georgia Tech, Brent Key, is also a former Coach at UCF. While his head coaching stint at UCF was short-lived, many UCF fans blame Key for UCF’s 0-12 season in 2015. Beating Georgia Tech would be a great opportunity to cement some revenge. Kickoff for the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl is Friday, December 22nd at 6:30pm. The game will be nationally-televised on ESPN.

The UCF Knights (9-4; 6-2 AAC) have begun preparations for their appearance in the Military Bowl in Annapolis, MD on December 28th. The Knights will square-up against the Blue Devils of Duke (8-4; 5-3 ACC) who placed 3rd in the ACC Coastal Division. Kickoff is set for 2pm and the game will be nationally-televised on ESPN.

Per the AAC:

UCF (9-4) will meet Atlantic Coast Conference representative Duke (8-4) at 2 p.m. EST on Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2022, in 34,000-seat Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland, in the Military Bowl presented by Peraton, benefiting the USO. The game will be televised by ESPN.
 
It’s a program-record seventh consecutive postseason bowl appearance for the Knights, the 10th in 11 seasons and the 14^th in 18 years. UCF also previously played in the NCAA Division II playoffs in 1987 and in the NCAA FCS Playoffs in 1990 and 1993.  
 
The Knights previously have played twice each in the Fiesta Bowl (following 2014 and 2018 seasons), Liberty Bowl (2007 and 2010), St. Petersburg Bowl (2009 and 2014) and Gasparilla Bowl (2019 and 2021) and once each in the Hawaii Bowl (2005), Beef O’Brady’s Bowl (2012), Cure Bowl (2016), Peach Bowl (2017) and Boca Raton Bowl (2020).
 
The Military Bowl has been played since 2008—the first two seasons as the EagleBank Bowl and then as the Military Bowl beginning with the 2010 campaign. The game benefits the USO and Patriot Point, the Military Bowl Foundation’s 294-acre retreat for wounded, ill and injured service members, their families and caregivers.
 
Previous American Athletic Conference participation has included Navy in 2008, 2015 and 2017, Temple in 2009, 2016 and 2019, East Carolina in 2010 and 2021 and Cincinnati in 2014 and 2018. The 2020 game was cancelled due to lack of available teams and the 2021 game also was cancelled due to Covid-related issues. The game originally was played at RFK Memorial Stadium through 2012, then moved to Annapolis. The game has featured an ACC-vs.-AAC matchup since 2014, and those leagues have contracted to continue that matchup through 2025. Previous AAC winners have been Navy in 2015 and 2017 and Cincinnati in 2018.
 
UCF head coach Gus Malzahn has seen his teams qualify for postseason bowl games in all 11 years he has been a head coach, including seven appearances in New Year’s Day games: 2013 in BCS National Championship Game vs. Florida State, 2014 in Outback Bowl vs. Wisconsin, 2015 in Birmingham Bowl win vs. Memphis, 2016 in Sugar Bowl vs. Oklahoma, 2017 in Peach Bowl vs. UCF, 2018 in Music City Bowl win vs. Purdue, 2019 Outback Bowl vs. Minnesota, 2021 Gasparilla Bowl vs. Florida and 2022 Military vs. Duke. Malzahn’s 2012 Arkansas State team qualified for a bowl game—but he already had accepted the head coaching job at Auburn and did not coach the bowl game. He also did not coach the Auburn bowl game after the 2020 season after leading the Tigers to the Citrus Bowl vs. Northwestern.
 
UCF and Duke will meet for the first time. This marks the second time UCF has faced a current ACC member in a bowl game—following NC State’s win over the Knights in the 2014 St. Petersburg Bowl.

The Sons of UCF Live interviewed Josh Barr, the Executive Director for the 2022 Military Bowl, on Monday. The interview is below:

The UCF Knights (9-3; 6-2 AAC) fought off a second half comeback bid by the S. Florida Bulls (1-11; 0-8 AAC) on Saturday at Raymond James Stadium (home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers). Their 46-39 win cements UCF as the victor for the War on I-4 rivalry, giving the Knights 7 wins to S. Florida’s 6 wins for the series. UCF’s move to the Big XII next season effectively kills S. Florida’s rivalry with UCF until at least 2028 due to scheduling conflicts. The win also brings the Knights back to New Orleans to face the Green Wave of Tulane (10-2; 7-1 AAC) for the AAC Championship Game on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 4pm and the game will be broadcasted on ABC. Per the AAC:

A matchup of top-25 teams is set for the 2022 American Athletic Conference Football Championship Game presented by RoofClaim as No 19 Tulane will meet No. 22 UCF for the conference title Saturday at Yulman Stadium on the Tulane campus. 
 
The American Football Championship Game will be held Saturday, Dec. 3, at 4 p.m. ET/3 p.m. CT. The championship game will be televised live on ABC for the eighth consecutive season.
 
Tulane clinched its spot as well as home-field advantage Friday with a 27-24 win at Cincinnati that left the Green Wave atop The American standings at 7-1 in conference play and 10-2 overall.
 
The Knights, who needed a win against South Florida in their regular-season finale Saturday to clinch their spot, scored a 46-39 victory in the War On I-4 matchup.
 
Tulane will make its first appearance in The American Championship Game, while UCF plays in the game for the third time. The Knights won the championship game in their previous two appearances, in 2017 and 2018. 
 
Tickets for the 2022 American Athletic Conference Football Championship Game will be made available through the ticket offices of the participating institutions.
 
The latest information on the 2022 American Football Championship will be available on the conference’s Championship Central site at http://www.theamerican.org/football

Check out video highlights of UCF’s win over S. Florida, courtesy of the AAC, below:

The #25 UCF Knights (8-3; 6-2 AAC) took a 17-14 loss against the Midshipmen of Navy (4-7; 4-4 AAC) on Saturday, ending the hopes the Knights would host the American Athletic Conference Championship game. UCF also now faces an uphill battle to get to the Championship game altogether. If Houston (7-4; 5-2 AAC) loses to Tulsa (4-7; 2-5 AAC) this weekend AND the Knights beat S. Florida (1-10; 0-7 AAC), then UCF is guaranteed a spot in the Championship game.

However, if Houston wins, then there will be a three-way tie for 2nd place in the Conference (UCF, Houston, and the loser of the Tulane at Cincinnati game on Friday). In that scenario, UCF would have to be ranked highest in the composite computer rankings versus Houston and the loser of the Cincinnati vs. Tulane matchup. UCF is currently ranked #25 in the AP Poll and #26 (just outside of the Top 25) in the Coaches Poll. The poll from the College Football Playoff Committee is released tomorrow. It is unlikely UCF will be ranked in that poll.

See video highlights of the UCF vs. Navy game, courtesy of the AAC, below: