Gabe Lazo’s first night as UCF’s head coach carried real weight, and the Knights made sure it ended with a statement.
In his debut Tuesday at Addition Financial Arena, Lazo guided UCF to an 85-56 win over Florida A&M, a smooth opening that also marked a milestone in women’s college basketball. The 41-year-old became the first Hispanic head coach in Power Four women’s basketball history.
Lazo, who arrived quietly to the court before the season opener, called the moment deeply personal.
“This has been a moment I’ve always dreamed of and just replaying it over and over in my mind,” said Lazo, wearing a T-shirt with a photo of his former high school mentor, Shakey Rodriguez. “I’m just so grateful. Grateful to be here and grateful for the moment.”
UCF got a big scoring night from Keyera Roseby, who finished with 22 points and six 3-pointers. The Knights also had four other players in double figures: Mikayla Johnson and Caitlyn Jones with 13 points each, Candance Kpetikou with 12, and Mahogany Chandler-Roberts with 11.
Florida A&M was paced by Kamryn Grant’s 18 points, while Niah Rhodes added 9.
The Knights set the tone early with a defensive burst that left FAMU searching for answers. UCF held the Rattlers without a field goal for more than six minutes, built a 15-5 lead, and kept piling on with six steals, two blocks and seven forced turnovers in the first quarter alone. By the end of the period, the margin was 23-11.
The second quarter was choppy at first, but UCF found its rhythm again and used a 16-8 run to stretch the lead to 39-19 at halftime.
Roseby took over in the third quarter, scoring eight straight points in the middle of the period as the Knights pushed the gap to 55-24. Florida A&M managed a short burst late in the quarter to trim it to 63-33, but UCF never let the game get close.
The Knights shot 49% from the field and dominated the glass, outrebounding FAMU 50-32.
UCF now heads to Gainesville for its first road game, facing Florida on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. on ESPN+.
In Other News...
UCF Suddenly Faces A Receiver Depth Issue Before Kansas
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Bibbs had contributed five catches for 74 yards and a touchdown, but his role had been shrinking as the rotation evolved. The Knights have also seen freshman Tyren Hornes emerge, which has changed the pecking order and made the depth chart a little less settled at a time when UCF would prefer as much stability as possible heading into conference play. [Read more 🡒]
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With Harvey out, Denver will have to piece together the workload in his absence and may lean more heavily on rookie tailback Jonah Coleman. The Broncos are facing at least a four-game stretch without Harvey, and while there is a path back later in the season, the immediate focus now shifts to how the offense adjusts without one of its most reliable young playmakers. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Faces A Road Test That Could Define Its Toughness
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Kansas has leaned on the ground game all season, with Dylan Edwards giving the Jayhawks a steady burst of production and big-play threat out of the backfield. For UCF, the challenge is clear: its run defense has been one of the better units in the league, and this trip will test whether that strength can travel well enough to help end a road skid that has lingered far too long. [Read more 🡒]