Despite a stellar second-half surge and a 22-point performance, missed free throws doomed UCF's season, falling just short against UCLA.
Forward Jordan Burks nailed five three-pointers in the second half to present UCF (21-12, 9-9 Big 12) with the opportunity to upset the UCLA Bruins (24-11, 13-7 Big Ten, but poor free-throw shooting led to the Knights' season-ending downfall at the Xfinity Mobile Arena.
The Bruins defeated UCF, 75-71, on Friday, and the final minutes matched the expectations coach Johnny Dawkins had from Thursday's media availability and reaffirmed in his postgame press conference.
"It was a great game," Dawkins said. "As in March, the games are going to be challenging. UCLA is a very talented, well-coached team."
UCF hit UCLA with a quick jab to start, scoring four of its first six field goals. Guard Themus Fulks scored his team's first two field goals, he made an acrobatic layup, and his patented floater.
Bruins' guard Eric Dailey Jr. — who tied his highest-scoring game of the season with a 20-point performance — responded to the Knights by scoring his team's first six points. He and his teammate, guard Skyy Clark, powered UCLA's offense in the first half.
Both teams exchanged buckets until the Bruins' defensive intensity caused havoc, forcing UCF to commit 11 turnovers and fueling a 16-2 run.
"They disrupted some of the things we wanted to do offensively," Dawkins said. "They were very active. They got a lot of deflections, and that led them out in the transition and especially in the first half."
UCLA's run put the team up by 13 points, but the Knights cut into that deficit. Three-pointers from guards George Beale Jr. and Carmelo Pacheco, and forward Devan Cambridge decreased the Bruins' lead to eight points.
UCF entered halftime down 35-27. The Knights' resilience shone at the end of the half and carried over in the second half.
Burks' second-half explosion, scoring 17 of his game-high 22 points, put his team within three points of tying their opponent. 15 of his 17 came from three-point range, a specialty for the Knights, but something they struggled with for the past several weeks.
"Some nights it's going to go in, some nights it's not," Burks said. "Just whatever the defense gives, you take it, and he [Dawkins] said that all year. I mean, we're a three-point shooting team. It's hard to stop us when we're making our shots."
However, UCF's poor free-throw shooting prevented the team from capitalizing on Burks' three-point flurry. The Knights shot 5-for-16 from the charity stripe, which played a significant factor in their season-ending loss.
UCF's historic season comes to a close at the hands of UCLA. The Knights' future is unknown, but Dawkins said he is proud of what his team has achieved and laid the foundation for a growing program.
"You left your legacy," Dawkins added. "And they're a team that will have left the foundation for what we want to build on."
Join the Community
Don't miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news!
It's completely free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.
Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!