Tied late, UCF's resilient defense and Stillwell's overtime heroics secured a thrilling 1-point win, advancing them in the Big 12 Tournament.
Centers John Bol and Jeremy Foumena jumped in the air and bumped each other in UCF's (21-10, 9-9 Big 12) 66-65 victory over the Cincinnati Bearcats on Wednesday afternoon at the T-Mobile Center.
Both teams met for the third time this season, but round two of the Big 12 Tournament determined who would book their ticket to the NCAA Tournament. UCF's victory increased its chances while eliminating Cincinnati from the fray.
The Knights extend their stay in Kansas City, Mo., for one more day, as they prepare to face the No. 1 seed Arizona Wildcats (29-2, 16-2 Big 12) on Thursday. Here are the key takeaways from UCF's resilient 1-point victory.
BOTH TEAMS STRUGGLED TO SHOOT THE BALL EFFICIENTLY
UCF and Cincinnati fought hard to score the ball, converting only 34% of their total shots from the field. Barring the Bearcats' shooting 46% from three-point range, both defenses played with physicality and forced their opponent to attempt difficult shots.
The Knights trailed 27-26 at halftime, a low-scoring half for both teams in the past eight games. UCF scored less than 30 points twice, and Cincinnati scored less than 30 points once.
UCF REMAINED RESILIENT AND FORCED OVERTIME
The Knights' NCAA Tournament hopes looked bleak with under two minutes and 30 seconds left in the game. Down 58-50, they transitioned to a full-court pressure defense to generate quick stops in the backcourt.
UCF forced three turnovers and capitalized on Cincinnati's mistakes to tie the game. The Bearcats failed to make the game-winning three-pointer, which would've saved them from elimination and lowered the Knights' chances of making the tournament.
Instead, UCF's successful effort led to an extra period of basketball, and the team did not look back after taking the lead.
JAMICHAEL STILLWELL CARRIES THE KNIGHTS ON HIS BACK IN OVERTIME
Stillwell, who's dealt with a lingering ankle injury, showed his two-way capabilities to push his team over the top. He finished the game with a monstrous double-double, 17 points and 15 rebounds.
The 6-foot-8 forward hit two jumpers in overtime and grabbed the game-sealing rebound before getting fouled and sent to the free-throw line. Stillwell missed both free throws, but guard Chris Johnson tipped the ball loose to waste the game clock, which cemented UCF's victory.
UCF KNIGHTS PLAY NO. 1 SEED ARIZONA WILDCATS NEXT
After eliminating their conference rival, the Knights' next test is against the Wildcats, whom they almost upset in their first meeting on Jan. 17.
UCF plays Arizona at 3 p.m. on Thursday.
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