In KANSAS CITY, Missouri, UCF emerged victorious in their first match of the Big 12 Tournament by defeating Utah 87-72. Keyshawn Hall shone brightly, leading the Knights as the No. 14 seed with a personal tally of 23 points. UCF, showcasing a balanced offensive effort, saw double-digit contributions from Darius Johnson with 20 points, Jordan Ivy-Curry adding 15, and Moustapha Thiam with 14. This balanced offense was key in their triumph over No. 11 seed Utah.
The match unfolded with Utah initially establishing a significant lead of 21-9. However, the Knights steadily closed the gap. Hall’s crucial 3-pointer near the end of the first half narrowed Utah’s advantage to 40-39. The momentum then shifted decisively towards UCF with a blistering 24-3 run at the start of the second half. This run, marked by Hall’s six points, gave UCF a commanding 63-43 lead with less than 13 minutes left in the game, a lead they maintained to secure their victory.
Keanu Dawes was a standout performer for Utah, scoring 21 points. Unfortunately for the Utes, this game marked yet another loss to UCF following their defeat on February 23, which led to the firing of coach Craig Smith. On Tuesday, Josh Eilert assumed the role of interim coach, continuing his leadership role from last year’s Big 12 Tournament. Moving forward, Utah has already appointed Alex Jensen, renowned for his 1998 Final Four performance and current experience as an assistant with the Dallas Mavericks, to take over head coaching duties after the season’s conclusion.
For UCF, the victory was powered by their exceptional guard play, though their presence in the paint remains a concern, particularly facing Kansas — a team with a formidable inside presence like 7-foot-1 center Hunter Dickinson — in the upcoming round.
Utah’s struggles were highlighted by their inability to recover from their poor second-half performance, including a stretch of 10 consecutive missed field-goal attempts. Hall’s decisive 3-pointer at the end of the first half provided a momentum swing that the Knights carried strongly throughout the rest of the game. Utah’s struggle from the perimeter was also evident, as they only managed to convert 4 of their 26 attempts from beyond the arc.
UCF now eagerly anticipates their next challenge against Kansas on Wednesday night. In regular-season play, the Knights fell to the Jayhawks twice, but they aim to turn the tide in their favor with the stakes even higher this time around.
