UCF Men's Hoops Set To Compete in Legends Classic

The 2025-26 UCF Knights Men's Basketball schedule received its first two dates Thursday afternoon with the Knights' confirmed participation in the Legends Classic.

In the first of two games, the Knights face Pittsburgh in Daytona Beach on Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. in the Ocean Center. The matchup was first reported by Jon Rothstein last month.

Additionally, Quinnipiac will also be a part of the Classic, playing both the Panthers and Knights in away matchups. Its matchup with UCF is set for Nov. 25 in Addition Financial Arena, with a tip-off time still to be determined.

The Legends Classic is headed to Daytona Beach! 🌴🏀

📅 Thursday, November 20

📍 Ocean Center, Daytona Beach

Featuring:
🔸 Pitt (@Pitt_MBB)
🔸 UCF (@UCF_MBB)

🎟️ Tickets ON SALE NOW: https://t.co/nGEVpRws6k #LegendsClassic #CollegeHoops #DaytonaBeach pic.twitter.com/TSEBMV0DbK
— The 2025 Legends Classic (@LegendsBBall) August 14, 2025

This is the Knights' first appearance in the Legends Classic. It will be their second matchup in program history against Pittsburgh, with the Panthers prevailing in their first meeting in the 2004 NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile, it marks the first meeting between UCF and Quinnipiac.

Both UCF and Pittsburgh are coming off just-over .500 seasons in 2024-25. The Knights finished 20-17 (7-13 Big 12) after a run in the inaugural College Basketball Crown, while the Panthers finished 17-15 (8-12 ACC) and declined an invitation to the NIT. Meanwhile, Quinnipiac finished 20-13 (15-5 MAAC) last season, getting eliminated in the semifinals of the MAAC Tournament.

Founded in 2007 by the Gazelle Group, a New Jersey-based sports marketing firm, the Legends Classic has been played in several different locations in the northeast United States, though it has most often been held in the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. This season's edition will mark the tournament's first time playing south of New Jersey.

Last season, in Brooklyn, the Texas Longhorns took home the tournament title after winning the championship game against St. Joseph's.

UCF Coach Johnny Dawkins Will Face Alma Mater in 2025

The UCF Men's Basketball team will take on the Duke Blue Devils in the latter's Brotherhood Run exhibition game, both programs announced Thursday.

The game, slated for Oct. 21 in Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium, will mark UCF coach Johnny Dawkins' first game as a coach in Cameron Indoor Stadium since he left the Blue Devils staff to take the Stanford head job in 2008.

“It’s always special going back to Duke,” Dawkins said in the joint announcement. ”It’s a place that shaped so much of who I am, both as a player and a person. To have the opportunity to bring our UCF team there, to compete in that environment and be part of something meaningful, is an honor."

"It’s not just about basketball — it’s about giving back to the game and continuing the relationships that helped build my foundation.”

Dawkins, whose No. 24 from his playing days at Duke was retired by the school in 1986, has only faced his alma mater twice as a coach, once with Stanford in the 2014 Coaches vs. Cancer Classic and once with the Knights in the second round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament.

"His jersey hangs in the rafters, and his legacy is felt every day within our program," Duke coach Jon Scheyer said in the announcement. "I had the privilege of playing my first two years here with him on the coaching staff, and I learned so much from the way he leads with integrity and humility. This game will be a great test for both teams as we gear up for the season and we get a chance to play in front of our fans in Cameron."

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