The UCF Knights pulled off a gritty, come-from-behind win on their home floor, edging Arizona State 79-76 in a game that tested their depth, composure, and ability to hit big shots when it mattered most.
Riley Kugel once again led the charge for the Knights, putting up 17 points and grabbing nine boards in a performance that showed why he’s become the go-to guy in crunch time. Jamichael Stillwell added 14 points and matched Kugel on the glass with nine rebounds of his own, while point guard Themus Fulks played the role of floor general to near perfection - dishing out six assists, pulling down four rebounds, and scoring 12 points.
Early on, UCF leaned heavily on its interior game. They struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just one of ten three-point attempts in the first half, but made up for it with physicality in the paint.
John Bol was a force inside, going 3-for-3 from the field and hauling in nine rebounds in the opening 20 minutes. That inside presence helped the Knights jump out to a seven-point lead by the first media timeout.
But Arizona State wasn’t going away quietly. The Sun Devils, led by Maurice Odum’s 10 first-half points, found their rhythm midway through the half and flipped the momentum, taking a 39-35 lead into the break.
The second half was a rollercoaster - and not the fun kind if you’re a coach. With Jeremy Foumena still sidelined, UCF’s depth was put to the test, and foul trouble quickly became a serious concern.
A tense moment near the ASU bench - which didn’t result in any technicals but clearly raised the temperature - seemed to shift the officiating tone, and the Knights found themselves playing under a tighter whistle. By the 8:08 mark, they were down nine points, with Kugel, Stillwell, and Devan Cambridge all carrying four fouls.
Meanwhile, ASU was already in the double bonus.
And yet, UCF refused to fold.
Trailing by 12 with six minutes to go, the Knights caught fire from deep - draining five threes in the final stretch as part of an 18-6 run that flipped the game on its head. The biggest shot of the night came from Jordan Burks, who buried a go-ahead three with just 34 seconds left on the clock.
Then, in a play that perfectly captured the Knights’ late-game energy, Burks turned around and came up with a clutch steal on the other end. He got the ball to Fulks, who was fouled and hit one of two free throws to extend the lead to three.
Arizona State had one last chance, but Bryce Ford’s game-tying three-point attempt missed the mark with three seconds remaining. Ballgame.
With the win, UCF improves to 16-4 overall and 5-3 in conference play - a statement victory that adds weight to their tournament résumé. But there’s no time to celebrate for long.
The Knights now gear up for a high-stakes stretch, starting with a home matchup against No. 11 Texas Tech on Saturday.
Tipoff is set for noon ET on ESPN2. After that, they’ll hit the road for a showdown with No.
10/7 Houston on Wednesday, February 4.
If this comeback win showed us anything, it’s that UCF has the toughness and depth to hang with anyone - even when the odds (and the foul count) are stacked against them.