ORLANDO, Fla. – In an electrifying performance, Darius Johnson achieved a career-high of 36 points, propelling UCF to secure an 83-70 victory against Oklahoma State during their final home game of the regular season on Wednesday night.
Johnson, standing out as one of a few players in the Big 12 to have dedicated four years to a single institution, showcased his shooting prowess by scoring seven 3-pointers. The senior guard made 10 out of 18 field goal attempts and converted all nine of his free throws. His remarkable effort shattered his previous record of 33 points, with the benchmark surpassed after his seventh 3-pointer with 4:11 left in the game.
With a record of 16-14 overall and 7-12 in the Big 12, UCF has rebounded with wins in three of their last four games after experiencing a seven-game losing streak. Meanwhile, Oklahoma State finds itself on a downturn with a record of 14-16, losing four of their last five games including this one.
Initially trailing by 10 points early in the second half, the Knights initiated an impressive 32-9 offensive run to seize a leading 69-56 advantage with just over six minutes remaining. During this pivotal stretch, Keyshawn Hall was instrumental by scoring six consecutive points. Moreover, Johnson added significant contributions by hitting three 3-pointers and amassing 15 points in the run. Hall was effective from the foul line, making 10 of 12 free-throw attempts, and concluded the game with 18 points, along with nine rebounds and five assists.
UCF, in spite of committing 19 turnovers, managed to make a significant impact from beyond the arc, hitting 10 of 28 shots. They were exceptionally accurate from the free-throw line, landing 27 of 30, and outperformed Oklahoma State in rebounds with a 50-26 margin.
For Oklahoma State, Brandon Newman managed to score all 13 of his points in the first half and was one of four players to reach double figures. The Cowboys ended up shooting just 38% from the field, making 25 of 66 attempts.
Although Oklahoma State carried a 40-35 lead into halftime and extended it to 47-37 shortly into the second half, their momentum was shattered by UCF’s formidable comeback.
Looking ahead, Oklahoma State is set to host Cincinnati, whereas UCF will travel to West Virginia for their regular-season finales occurring on Saturday.
