Three Key Takeaways From UCF's Win in Daytona Beach

UCF Hoops comes out on top over Pittsburgh in Legends Classic, 77-67.

Mar 5, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA; UCF Knights head coach Johnny Dawkins talks to the team in the second half during a timeout against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Addition Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

The UCF Knights men's basketball team is now on a four-game winning streak after taking down Pittsburgh in the Legends Classic, 77-67, Thursday night.

While guard Themus Fulks and Riley Kugel tied for the team's leading scorer with 18 points apiece, forward Jamichael Stillwell was not far behind while also leading the team at the boards en route to back-to-back double-doubles with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Here are three takeaways from the Knights' performance in Daytona Beach:

1. Getting Down Low Again

Just like last game against Oakland, UCF found an opportunity to use its length and took it.

The Knights were dominant in the paint, outscoring the Panthers, 46-28. However, that was not the whole story.

UCF did not just score in the paint; it scored in the paint after missing the first time. Second-chance points are another area of sharp contrast between the two teams, with the Knights scoring more than double the Panthers' total for a 24-11 advantage. 

This stands out all the more when looking at both teams' offensive rebounds, with which UCF had a smaller advantage, 16-12. For perspective, this means UCF averaged 1.5 points for every offensive rebound while the Panthers averaged 0.7 points. So, the Knights might not have had the biggest offensive rebound advantage, but they were able to use their length to not just get the ball back, but also follow through on getting it back into the basket.

2. Neither Feast Nor Famine

As far as shooting went, UCF games up to this point were marked by large momentum shifts: long droughts followed by long runs or vice versa.

This game was not like that. Shooting from the floor, the Knights never had a drought go longer than three missed shots.

The Knights' consistency stood out since it helped them create separation after shots started to not fall for the Panthers late in the first half. Pittsburgh ended up going on a 0-9 drought stretching from 2:42 left in the first half to 14:27 left in the second half. That's 8:15 of game time with no points shooting from the floor.

3. They Grow Up So Fast

Sophomore center John Bol has now strung together several solid performances after scoring six points, shooting 3-4 from the floor, and pulling down six rebounds, half of those being offensive rebounds, in Daytona Beach.

He also once again earned a minutes increase, getting 22 minutes of court time on Thursday night, his most of the season.

All of Bol's scoring and most of his rebounds were made in the second half alone, though. So, while his development is still progressing, the next thing to watch out for is can be a presence throughout an entire game, and not just a half. However, regardless of whether that happens or not, he has provided much-needed sparks for the Knights so far this season.

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The Knights return to Addition Financial Arena on Tuesday to host Quinnipiac at 7 p.m.

Catch up on more UCF News below:

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