UCF Drops Second Straight Blowout in Big 12 Play, Falls to Cincinnati 92-72
After a tough night in Houston earlier in the week, UCF was looking for a bounce-back performance on the road Sunday afternoon. Instead, the Knights ran into a Cincinnati team that came out firing and never let up. In a rematch of their January thriller - a one-point UCF win in Orlando - the Bearcats flipped the script in dominant fashion, handing the Knights a 92-72 loss at Fifth Third Arena.
That’s two straight 20-point losses for Johnny Dawkins’ squad, and this one stung. UCF is now 17-6 overall and 6-5 in Big 12 play, with back-to-back blowouts threatening to derail some of the momentum they’d built earlier in the season.
A First Half Collapse
UCF managed to hang around early. With just over five minutes left in the first half, Jamichael Stillwell hit a midrange jumper to tie the game at 26, capping off a quick 6-0 run that gave the Knights a little life. But that would be the high point of the half - and maybe the game.
From there, Cincinnati took full control. The Bearcats closed the half on a 14-2 run, sparked by a pair of deep threes from Jalen Celestine.
UCF went ice cold, failing to score in the final 3:13 before halftime. By the break, Cincinnati had built a 12-point lead, and the Knights were staring down another uphill climb.
The numbers told the story: UCF shot under 35% from the field and just 2-of-10 from beyond the arc in the first half. In a hostile road environment, those kinds of shooting woes are tough to overcome.
A Glimmer of Hope, Then More of the Same
Cincinnati came out of the locker room with the same energy they ended the first half with, pushing their lead to 20 less than six minutes into the second half. But UCF showed some fight. The Knights responded with an 11-0 run, highlighted by back-to-back threes from George Beale Jr., cutting the deficit to just six with 9:33 remaining.
It felt like a potential turning point - a chance to shift the momentum and make it a game down the stretch. But Cincinnati had other plans.
The Bearcats immediately answered with a 5-0 burst and never looked back. They stretched the lead back to 22 before the final buzzer, shutting the door on any hopes of a UCF comeback.
Chris Johnson Shines Off the Bench
If there was a silver lining for UCF, it came in the form of Chris Johnson. The sophomore guard, who’s had an up-and-down season, delivered his best performance in a Knights uniform.
Johnson tied for the team lead with 16 points - a season-high - and added a career-best six assists. It was his most productive outing since November 2024, back when he was still suiting up for Stephen F.
Austin.
“He gave us a real lift,” Dawkins said postgame. “Just happy to see him continue to develop in our system.”
Johnson’s energy and efficiency were bright spots in an otherwise frustrating afternoon, and his emergence could be a key factor for UCF as the season wears on.
Looking Ahead
After two straight road losses, UCF will finally return home for a much-needed break and a chance to regroup. Next up: a Valentine’s Day matchup against West Virginia at Addition Financial Arena.
The Mountaineers, who dropped a close one to No. 13 Texas Tech earlier Sunday, come in with a 15-9 record and a 6-5 mark in conference play - the same as UCF.
Last year’s meeting in Morgantown ended in a 72-65 loss for the Knights. This time, they’ll hope home court gives them the edge in what’s shaping up to be a critical Big 12 showdown.
With the conference schedule heating up and postseason positioning on the line, the Knights will need to find their rhythm again - and fast.