Knights shatter road losing streak, Kugel and Stillwell ignite offense. UCF overcomes K-State's comeback push for crucial conference victory.
The UCF Knights (14-2, 3-1 Big 12) marched into the Bramlage Coliseum and tamed the Kansas State Wildcats (9-8, 0-4 Big 12), 82-73, on Wednesday night to earn their first conference road win of the season.
Wednesday's performance broke an eight-game conference road losing streak. Guard Riley Kugel and forward Jamichael Stillwell spearheaded the charge, combining for 27 points.
Kugel scored 19 points on 6-of-11 shooting and seven rebounds, and Stillwell poured in 18 points, seven rebounds and a block.
The Knights opened the floodgates for an excellent first half with a 14-2 run in six minutes. Kugel started the run with three straight jumpers — two of them being threes. His shotmaking showcased his ability to create separation off the defender's backward momentum.
Kugel's two threes were a result of him driving towards his defender and performing a snatch back dribble to create enough space for a wide-open shot.
UCF's transition offense fueled its next three scores with guard Themus Fulks making contributions through his passes. Fulks accelerated up the court after receiving a pass from Kugel, took one dribble and threw a lob pass to forward Devan Cambridge.
Cambridge threw down a ferocious dunk, his momentum causing him to swing on the rim from how hard he ran the floor.
Next, Fulks hustled for a loose ball and passed to Cambridge. Guard Chris Johnson was running the lane with the duo. Cambridge noticed his teammate and threw a bounce pass to Johnson for a layup.
Fulks' defense was on display for the final bucket of the run, as he forced a Kansas State turnover and converted an acrobatic, left-handed layup to cap off his team's run up 20-10. UCF's offensive avalanche played a significant role in its 42-28 lead heading into the break.
However, the Wildcats and their leading scorer, guard P.J. Haggerty, refused to go down without a fight.
Kansas State's offense returned to life in the second half — scoring 45 points to UCF's 40 — with Haggerty at the helm, scoring and playmaking. He had 19 points and four assists in the second half, finishing the game with 23 points on 9-of-18 shooting, five rebounds and five assists.
Haggerty aided his team in cutting a 14-point deficit to three with under six minutes left, but they couldn't overcome their opponent's timely buckets to push the lead.
The Wildcats remain winless in the Big 12, and their struggles continue with a 9-8 record. Meanwhile, the Knights are trending upwards after falling out of the AP Top 25 with back-to-back conference victories.
Coach Johnny Dawkins and his squad return to the Addition Financial Arena to host the No. 1 Arizona Wildcats and potentially pull off their second upset Saturday at 4 p.m. on ESPN.