As February winds down, the excitement is palpable for UCF's basketball team, who are on the brink of their first NCAA Tournament appearance in nearly a decade. With a solid 20-7 record and a 9-6 standing in the Big 12, the Knights are returning home after a triumphant road trip in Utah, where they secured wins against Utah and No.
19 BYU. These back-to-back road victories are the first since the 2018-19 season, marking a significant milestone for the program.
Coach Johnny Dawkins highlighted the confidence boost these wins have provided his team. "Any time you can have some success, that helps guys with their overall confidence," Dawkins noted.
"They’ve been spirited all season long and are working on getting better. They know it’s a process."
The victory over BYU was not just another win; it was UCF's ninth Big 12 victory of the season, the most since joining the conference in 2023. This success guarantees at least a .500 finish in conference play for the first time since the 2022-23 season and significantly bolsters their NCAA Tournament prospects. Historically, no Big 12 team finishing .500 or better has missed the tournament since 2014.
With three games remaining in the regular season, including a pivotal matchup against Baylor, UCF is poised to enhance its postseason resume before the Big 12 Tournament kicks off on March 10 in Kansas City. "We’ve talked about it’s time to sprint," Dawkins emphasized. "We need to be sprinting toward the end of the season and our guys have taken that to heart."
Guard Chris Johnson echoed this sentiment, stressing the importance of staying focused and hungry for the next challenge. Remarkably, UCF has managed these recent victories without their leading scorer, Riley Kugel, who has been sidelined with a lower leg injury. Johnson has admirably stepped up, averaging 8.5 points, 2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in Kugel's absence.
Concerns linger over the health of starting forward Jamichael Stillwell, who suffered a foot injury in the game against BYU. Stillwell, who posted a double-double before his exit, is crucial to the Knights' success, as evidenced by the team's positive point differential with him on the court.
Coach Dawkins provided a cautious update, labeling both Kugel and Stillwell as "day-to-day." "They’re still recovering," he stated. "I don’t think very many players on rosters, unless you’re not playing a lot, are at 100%, so guys are battling different things on all the rosters, I’m sure."
As for Baylor, the Bears are enduring a challenging season, with a 14-14 record and struggles in maintaining possession and defensive consistency. Despite these issues, Dawkins remains vigilant.
"They’re a really talented team with a terrific coach who has won a national championship, so we know they’re going to be well prepared as well," he said. "We know we’re going to see a great Baylor team come out and give a great effort and we have to match that with a great effort ourselves."
The stage is set for a thrilling finish to the season, with UCF looking to capitalize on their momentum and secure a coveted spot in the NCAA Tournament.