Following UCF's exit from the Big 12 Tournament, the Knights are eagerly awaiting a potential at-large bid for the NCAA Tournament. The buzz is strong, with most major college basketball analysts projecting UCF to make the Big Dance for the first time since 2019.
Despite a rocky end to the regular season with three straight losses, the Knights secured a crucial victory over Cincinnati in the Big 12 Tournament. This win added a significant highlight to an already impressive season under the leadership of head coach Johnny Dawkins. However, their run ended in the quarterfinals against the Arizona Wildcats.
After the game against Arizona, Dawkins praised the level of competition in the Big 12, acknowledging the conference's role in preparing the team for postseason play.
"It's the best conference in college basketball, in my opinion," Dawkins said. "And so when you're in a conference like that, it's just so competitive from top to bottom.
Every team you face is very talented. Every coach is terrific.
So it just provides all kinds of different challenges."
As the Knights await the selection announcement on Sunday, let’s delve into their resume and explore where their March Madness journey might lead.
UCF's Resume:
- Five Quad 1 Wins: at Texas A&M, vs. Kansas, vs.
Texas Tech, at BYU, vs. Cincinnati (in Kansas City)
- 6-3 in Quad 2 Contests
- No losses to opponents in Quad 3 or Quad 4
- Overall Record: 21-11
- Big 12 Conference Record: 9-9 (excluding Big 12 Tournament)
- KenPom Ranking: 54
- NET Ranking: 52
2026 NCAA Tournament Sites:
- First/Second Round: Dayton, Ohio - UD Arena - March 17 & 18 Buffalo, New York - KeyBank Center - March 19 & 21 Greenville, South Carolina - Bon Secours Wellness Arena - March 19 & 21 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma - Paycom Center - March 19 & 21 Portland, Oregon - Moda Center - March 19 & 21 Tampa, Florida - Benchmark International Arena - March 20 & 22 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Xfinity Mobile Arena - March 20 & 22 San Diego, California - Viejas Arena - March 20 & 22 St.
Louis, Missouri - Enterprise Center - March 20 & 22
- Regional Sites: Houston, Texas - Toyota Center - March 26 & 28 San Jose, California - SAP Center - March 26 & 28 Chicago, Illinois - United Center - March 27 & 29 Washington, D.C. - Capital One Arena - March 27 & 29
- Final Four Site: Indianapolis, Indiana - Lucas Oil Stadium - April 4 & 6
As we await the bracket reveal, UCF's performance throughout the season has set them up well for a potential spot in the tournament. The anticipation is palpable, and the Knights are ready to make their mark on March Madness.