Burks ignites offense, fueling UCF's dominant performance to shatter a three-game skid. The Knights showcased stifling defense and timely scoring.
Jordan Burks was scorching hot in the first half, nailing four threes and helping the UCF Knights (18-7, 7-6 Big 12) snap a three-game losing streak in their 82-71 victory against Texas Christian (16-10, 6-7 Big 12) at the Addition Financial Arena Tuesday night.
Burks dropped 23 points on 8-for-19 shooting and 5-for-12 from three-point range. His performance tied his career-high from UCF's 102-80 win over Florida Gulf Coast on Dec. 20.
The 6-foot-9 forward started UCF's offensive attack by faking a screen to guard Riley Kugel and running to the opposite side of Kugel for an open three. Burks also showcased his ability to attack closeouts and convert tough layups inside the paint.
He scored 10 of UCF's 14 points within six minutes of the first half.
Coach Johnny Dawkins and the team emphasized returning to playing UCF basketball before Tuesday's matchup, and they did.
"I thought we did it by executing," Dawkins said. "I thought offensively we really moved the basketball and shared it. I thought you always tell by assist number how well we're doing on the offensive end when we're connecting. I thought we did that."
The Knights entered the halftime break up 42-28 against the Horned Frogs. UCF shot 49% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc, alongside dishing 17 assists and grabbing 34 rebounds.
The team was moving on a string defensively, containing the ball handler and making crisp rotations. TCU players consistently ran into the white UCF jerseys, which made many shots difficult to make.
Burks, who was automatic in the first half, struggled in the second, only making two shots. However, guard George Beale Jr. picked up where his teammate left off.
Beale Jr. made the most of his minutes with guard Carmelo Pacheco out due to injury. He scored 11 points off the bench on 3-for-6 shooting, all of his makes being three-pointers.
The 6-foot-4 reserve made two three-pointers in the second half; his first pushed UCF's lead to 16 points, the second to 19 points — the team's biggest lead of the game.
TCU attempted to complete a late comeback like West Virginia last Saturday, with a 9-0 run to cut the deficit to 10 points. However, guard Themus Fulks did not allow the Horned Frogs' late rally to come to fruition.
Fulks dropped 12 points in the final seven minutes, showcasing his touch around the rim with short jump shots and floaters.
"My job is to play make, make plays, make life easier for my teammates," Fulks said. "They were doing a good job of putting two on me, doubling me. So, when they put two on me, I know I got J Mike, I know I got Burks, I got Riley, I got other outlets and they can make plays as well. So, it was just reading the defense. um they stopped doing as much in the second half because we was having so much success in the first half, but just just take what the defense gives."
The Knights played UCF basketball against TCU in their victory. They moved the ball with purpose, defended without fouling and controlled the glass by rebounding.
They snap their three-game losing streak at a crucial time before a road trip to Utah to face the Utah Utes and the No. 23 Brigham Young Cougars.
UCF will play against Utah on Saturday at the Jon M. Huntsman Center at 9 p.m. on ESPN+.