ORLANDO, Fla. — In a competitive game on Tuesday night, UCF managed to secure an 80-69 victory over Tennessee Tech, buoyed by a strong performance from Keyshawn Hall, who netted 20 points. Jordan Ivy-Curry also contributed significantly, adding 15 points to the Knights’ total. Hall’s impressive stats included eight rebounds and a personal best of five assists, while Ivy-Curry supported the team with four assists and four steals. Dallan “Deebo” Coleman was another key player, contributing 14 points, with 12 of those coming in a strong first half. JJ Taylor chipped in with 11 points, helping UCF to a 4-0 start this season.

For Tennessee Tech, Kyle Layton was a standout, managing to convert 4 of 5 attempts from beyond the arc, with all 16 of his points scored in the second half. Teammate Daniel Egbuniwe added 13 points, while both Rodney Johnson Jr. and Jaylon Johnson had 12 points each in the game.

UCF commenced the second half by extending their lead, starting with a three-pointer from Hall. Coleman followed with a shot in the paint, pushing the Knights’ advantage to a game-high 20 points early in the period. However, Egbuniwe initiated a comeback for the Golden Eagles, scoring five consecutive points which fueled a 15-3 run, narrowing their deficit to just eight points with 12:44 left on the clock. Layton’s flurry of three-pointers within a short span, capped by a free throw, trimmed the score to 65-62 with seven minutes remaining, but this was as close as Tennessee Tech would get.

Earlier, UCF had stitched together a decisive 15-2 run, punctuated by consecutive three-pointers from Darius Johnson and Rokas Jocius, giving them a comfortable lead of 14 points just three minutes before the halftime buzzer. Hall’s layup at the end of the half solidified UCF’s position at 47-32 going into the break.

Johnson had a well-rounded performance, contributing six points, grabbing six rebounds, dishing out four assists, and recording two steals. His performance brought him over the 1,000 career-point mark, making him the 21st player in UCF program history to achieve this notable milestone.