Knights' stellar offense and relentless defense stunned No. 11 Texas Tech. Four players hit double figures in a commanding 88-80 victory.
Cape Canaveral blue filled the Addition Financial Arena as the fans stormed the court after the UCF Knights (17-4, 6-3 Big 12) upset the No. 11-ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders (16-5, 6-2 Big 12) 88-80 on Saturday afternoon.
It was UCF's annual Space Game, honoring the university's ties to the space industry. The Knights' upset over the Red Raiders cemented many achievements: It was their third straight victory over Texas Tech, their second overall upset win this season, snapped their opponent's five-game winning streak and extended their winning streak to three games in the Big 12 for the first time.
Forward Jordan Burks, who scored 17 points on 5-for-7 shooting, opened up Saturday's matchup with five straight points. He nailed a three-pointer and a pair of free throws to put the Knights 5-2 early in the game.
UCF's defensive intensity gave Texas Tech difficulties, as their star players, forward JT Toppin and guard Christian Anderson, were called for multiple travel violations. The Red Raiders averaged 10.4 turnovers per contest, and racking up turnovers quickly in the first half was uncharacteristic.
"That just shows our activity defensively and against a team like them, they really don't turn the ball over a lot," coach Johnny Dawkins said. "So, just being active again, looking to make the plays that are there in front of you. And I thought our guys did a good job of that. And then trying to turn those turnovers into points becomes important because those are quick opportunities you may have, and you have to try to take advantage of them."
Guard Themus Fulks sustained what Burks started at the beginning of the game with his 21 points and seven assists. Fulks repeatedly found center John Bol diving to the rim off the pick-and-roll for easy buckets down low.
Fulks' vision helped Bol record a career-high 14 points on 6-for-8 shooting. Bol followed his 14 points with 10 rebounds, marking his second career double-double.
"It's all about my teammates, putting me in the right position, you know?" Bol said. "Themus driving every time, like, just us playing as a team, us playing together, that just gives me juice a lot. Like, it gets me going. I'm like, 'Man, I want to fight for my brother right next to me.' You feel me? So, I'm going to go the extra mile. I'm going to go get that board so we can do something else with it."
Although the Knights shone early on, Texas Tech would rally on a 14-6 run, led by Toppin's inside scoring and Anderson's shooting and playmaking.
The Knights and Red Raiders would trade buckets throughout the rest of the half, always keeping the score within one or two possessions. UCF entered the halftime break leading 44-40, launching itself into upset orbit.
The back-and-forth battle resumed in the second half as Fulks, Bol and Burks were the consistent lifelines for the Knights. Fulks converted his patented turnaround floaters, and Burks took advantage of smaller guards defending him in the post.
"I feel like I'm more than just a shooter," Burks said. "So, I've been implementing other things to my game to help the team win cause the last couple games I've been getting fully denied, face guarded. So, it's hard for me to just get a catch-and-shoot three unless somebody gets a rebound, and nobody's there in a scramble, then I just get open for a three."
However, Toppin and Anderson received some help from forward Josiah Moseley in the interior. Moseley had six quick points off a hook shot, tip-in and dunk, cutting the Red Raiders' deficit to one point down 68-67.
Up one, with their opponent gaining momentum, guard Carmelo Pacheco nailed a backbreaking three with 0.1 seconds remaining on the shot clock before the buzzer sounded.
Pacheco's three-pointer was crucial, putting UCF up by four with under 10 minutes left in the game. Both teams kept trading makes as the game clock dwindled, which was an advantage for the Knights.
Up 81-79 with 1:42 left, guard Jaylen Petty forced a turnover on Fulks, but guard Riley Kugel saved the possession by stealing the ball. He passed to Fulks, who then hit a floater to increase the team's cushion.
UCF got a stop on the following possession, as forward Jamichael Stillwell passed the ball to Kugel, who passed to guard Chris Johnson for a thunderous dunk that made the Addition Financial Arena erupt with joy.
Now up six, Texas Tech had no choice but to play the foul game in hopes of having a shot at a comeback. That wouldn't be the case for them as Fulks nailed a pair of free throws to seal the game and complete his team's second upset.
UCF inches closer to earning a bid to the NCAA Tournament with its upset against No. 11-ranked Texas Tech and aims to carry its momentum to Houston. The Knights travel to the Fertitta Center to play the No. 10-ranked Houston Cougars on FS1 at 7 p.m. next Wednesday.