Guard Riley Kugel emerges as a crucial X-factor, poised to ignite UCF's NCAA Tournament run with his scoring prowess and clutch performances.
There are 36 double-digit seeded teams in the NCAA Tournament, and NCAA analyst Andy Katz believes guard Riley Kugel is one of top 10 players on those teams who can have a significant impact in March Madness.
The NCAA March Madness X account posted Katz's list of top 10 players on double-digit seeded teams on Tuesday evening. Kugel's name appeared on the list as the fifth-mentioned player.
Kugel, a Mississippi State transfer, became a crucial factor in UCF's journey to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019. He finished the season averaging 14.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists, shooting 41.8% overall and 39.2% from three-point range.
The Orlando native averaged 9.4 points in the last three seasons, which cements this season as a career year for Kugel. Coach Johnny Dawkins spoke highly of his leading scorer and expressed his desire to coach him from an earlier encounter in high school.
"Riley's a terrific talent," Dawkins said. "I'm glad he had the opportunity to play for his home team, which I find really nice. He came back home to play for his senior year, and I had watched Riley in high school. I was hoping to have the opportunity to coach him at some point. Well, I got him now."
Kugel — including the victory over the Cincinnati Bearcats in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Tournament — scored 15 points or more in 19 games this season. He showcased the ability to shoot the ball from beyond the arc and utilize his athleticism to finish acrobatic layups or throw down thunderous dunks.
In UCF's victory over Cincinnati, Kugel scored six points in the final five minutes and 30 seconds to help send the team into overtime. His late-scoring burst pushed the Knights to punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament as the No. 10 seed in the East Region.
Kugel's prolific scoring ability could be a reason why Katz named him as one of the top 10 players on a double-digit seed team. His offensive talent is something opposing teams can game plan against, which creates opportunities for his teammates to capitalize on.
Katz's recognition solidifies Kugel as an X-factor for a deep tournament push for UCF. Kugel and the Knights take on the No. 7 seed UCLA Bruins at 7:25 p.m. on TBS at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pa., on Friday.
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