Themus Fulks Earns Big 12 Starting Five Honors as UCF Continues to Climb
Themus Fulks is having the kind of season that turns heads - and now, the Big 12 is officially taking notice. UCF’s fifth-year guard was named to the Big 12 Starting Five this week, a well-earned nod after a stretch of standout performances that’s been nothing short of electric.
Fulks has been the engine behind UCF’s recent surge, and his résumé speaks for itself. He dropped a career-high 30 points against No.
1 Arizona - a performance that didn’t just make headlines, it put him in elite company. With 30 points, eight assists, and five rebounds in that game, Fulks became just the fourth Division I player in the last 30 years to post at least 30-5-5 against a top-ranked team.
The names he joins on that list? Ky Bowman, Buddy Hield, and Greg Buckner.
That’s not just a stat - that’s a statement.
But Fulks isn’t just filling up the box score - he’s orchestrating wins. In UCF’s 82-73 road victory over Kansas State, Fulks dished out 12 assists, becoming the first Knight ever to record five double-digit assist games in a single season.
He also became the first UCF player this century to notch three point-assist double-doubles in one campaign, and the first in program history to post back-to-back games with 10 or more assists. In a league as competitive as the Big 12, that kind of playmaking doesn’t go unnoticed.
Breaking the Big 12 Road Curse
That win over Kansas State wasn’t just another tally in the win column - it snapped an eight-game Big 12 road losing streak for the Knights and marked their first-ever victory at Bramlage Coliseum. UCF moved to 14-2 on the season with the win, and Fulks was again at the center of it, while Riley Kugel continued his scoring tear with 19 points - his fourth straight game leading the team in scoring.
A Battle With No. 1 Arizona
UCF’s first-ever meeting with Arizona on January 11 was a heavyweight bout, and while the Knights came up short in an 88-80 loss, Fulks’ 30-point explosion on the road against the nation’s top-ranked team showed that this UCF squad can hang with the best. The Knights may not have gotten the win, but they walked away from Tucson knowing they belong on the national stage.
Looking Ahead: Iowa State on Deck
Next up, UCF faces Iowa State - a team that’s had the Knights’ number since their entry into the Big 12. This will be just the third meeting between the two programs, and UCF is still searching for its first win in the series.
The Cyclones have won three straight and are riding a 10-game home win streak, making this a true test for the Knights. Every previous matchup has come with Iowa State ranked in the AP Top 25, and that won’t change this time around.
Holding Off Cincinnati in a Thriller
UCF’s 73-72 win over Cincinnati was a nail-biter from start to finish. Neither team led by more than single digits, but when it mattered most, Fulks delivered again.
After a 6-0 Bearcats run put UCF down one with under two minutes to play, Fulks calmly knocked down a jumper with 13 seconds left to reclaim the lead. The Knights held strong on the final defensive possession to seal the win.
Kugel once again led all scorers with 19 points, while Jamichael Stillwell chipped in 15 and Jeremy Foumena added 12 points and a season-high eight rebounds. Fulks’ 12 assists in that game marked his fourth 10-assist performance of the season - a number that continues to grow as he cements his place in UCF history.
Climbing the Rankings
UCF’s breakout season has officially hit the national radar. The Knights debuted at No. 25 in the AP Top 25 during Week 9 - their first appearance in the poll since 2019 and just the sixth time in program history. It’s also the second time under head coach Johnny Dawkins, whose squad is off to the best start of his tenure.
The Knights earned that ranking with a signature win over then-No. 17 Kansas, taking down the Jayhawks 81-75 in a statement game that turned heads across the country.
As of January 15, UCF sits at No. 35 in the NCAA NET rankings, having climbed as high as 30 - their best mark since joining the Big 12. They’re also up to No. 44 in KenPom, inching closer to the program’s all-time best of No. 34 from 2019.
With nine Quad 1-3 wins already on the board - tied for fifth-most in Division I - UCF’s résumé is building fast. And the road ahead doesn’t get any easier: eight Quad 1 games and six Quad 2 matchups remain.
The Knights are 2-2 in Quad 1 so far, including a sweep of Texas A&M, but took losses to now-No. 11 Vanderbilt and Oklahoma State.
Kugel Joins the Big 12 Starting Five
Fulks isn’t the only Knight earning conference honors. Riley Kugel was named to the Big 12 Starting Five for Week 9 after his 19-point outing in the win over Kansas. That performance included a clutch and-one in the closing moments that helped seal the deal.
Kugel has hit double figures in nine games this season and continues to be a consistent scoring threat. His best performance came against Vanderbilt, where he dropped a career-high 25 points, going 4-of-5 from deep and adding four assists and five boards.
What’s Next
UCF is no longer flying under the radar. With Fulks distributing at an elite level, Kugel providing scoring punch, and a defense that’s held strong in key moments, the Knights are proving they can compete - and win - in the Big 12. The road ahead is tough, but this team has already shown it’s built for the challenge.