ORLANDO, Fla. — Darius Johnson secured a compelling victory for UCF with a reverse layup just 2.5 seconds remaining in the game, allowing the Knights to clinch a 76-72 win over Utah. Keyshawn Hall sealed the deal with two pivotal free throws following a turnover, breaking a frustrating seven-game losing streak and marking UCF’s first triumph in a month.
This victory represents a significant turnaround for UCF (13-6, 4-4 Big 12), being their first since they triumphed against TCU on January 25.
In a competitive match, Utah initially took the lead at 49-47, thanks to a dunk by Mike Sharavjamts with just 11 minutes left on the clock. However, UCF quickly countered with a 12-0 scoring run, propelling themselves to a 63-52 advantage, with Jordan Ivy-Curry contributing two free throws followed by a layup from Johnson.
A spirited comeback by Utah ensued, with Gabe Madsen hitting three out of four attempts from three-point range, along with Ezra Ausar’s layup and free throws, narrowing the gap to 65-62. Despite a corner three from Dallan Coleman, Utah’s Ausar countered with a three-point play, and Sharavjamts’ layup pulled the Utes closer at 68-67. UCF’s Hall then netted a basket to extend their lead to 72-69, but Madsen rebounded a missed three-pointer and hit another to tie the game at 68 with just 11 seconds remaining.
Johnson responded decisively, driving to the basket to score the winning layup. After Utah mishandled the inbound pass, Hall’s subsequent free throws capped the game’s final score.
Moustapha Thiam led the Knights with an impressive 18 points and nine rebounds, while Johnson and Ivy-Curry each contributed 12 points. Hall and Coleman added 11 and 10 points, respectively.
On the other side, Madsen was the standout for Utah (15-12, 7-9) with an impressive 23 points, hitting five out of nine from beyond the arc. Ausar added 20 points and Sharavjamts finished with 15.
UCF is set to face Kansas State on Wednesday, while Utah will go up against No. 19 Arizona on the same day.
