UCF Issued Fine By Big 12 Conference
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It's time for the UCF Knights to pay up, the Big 12 Conference announced on Tuesday evening.
The conference issued a $25,000 fine to UCF (17-4, 6-3 Big 12) following the Knights' student section's storming of the court in Addition Financial Arena with 0.2 seconds left on the clock during the Knights' win over No. 11 Texas Tech on Saturday, 88-80. According to the conference's announcement of the fine on X, the fine was issued in accordance with the Big 12's Principles and Standards of Sportsmanship.
Big 12 Announces Fine of UCF
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) February 3, 2026
In accordance with Big 12 Conference Principles and Standards of Sportsmanship, the Conference has issued a $25,000 fine of UCF for the court storming prior to the conclusion of Saturday’s men’s basketball victory over No. 11 Texas Tech.
The game clock stopped at 0.2 seconds due to a shooting foul committed by guard Chris Johnson. However, the clock was not stopped in time before the final buzzer sounded, which elicited the court storming with fans believing the game to be over. It took a few minutes for fans to clear the court for Texas Tech forward Lejuan Watts to shoot his two free throws.
We have a premature court-storming at @AdditionFiArena!
— Bryson Turner (@itsBrysonTurner) January 31, 2026
Chris Johnson fouled with 0.2 seconds left, so there needs to be some free throws.
UCF: 88
#11 Texas Tech: 79 pic.twitter.com/l5tY9fgNwq
Following the pair of free throws, the student section, which had spread into staircases between seating sections and tunnels on the arena floor to vacate the court minutes before, stormed the court once again. The win against the Red Raiders marked the second time Knights fans have stormed the court this season, with the first time coming after UCF's Big 12 opening win over No. 17 Kansas, 81-75. The Knights are 12-2 overall in Addition Financial Arena so far this season, with their only losses coming to No. 1 Arizona and a Vanderbilt team that is now ranked No. 15 in the nation.
Coach Johnny Dawkins said after the game the student section was "amazing" and it was a "big part of why [the Knights] were successful tonight."
"I feel our community came out and rallied behind us, and again, it doesn't happen if they don't do that," Dawkins said. "That's what I want us to understand, the importance of not just our players, but the importance of our community, our university. It's important that we all rally behind our teams, not just my team, but all of our teams on this campus, because they all have potential to do some amazing things, but we're not going to do it by ourselves."
The announcement comes just over a day before the Knights are set to take on No. 8 Houston on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
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Bryson Turner is a sports journalist who covers UCF Athletics. Turner has contributed to the Black and Gold Banneret, the home for UCF Athletics on SB Nation. He has called the Orlando area home since the age of 8 and received his bachelor's and master's degrees from UCF.
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