KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In the opening round of the Big 12 Tournament on Tuesday night, the UCF Knights achieved victory over the Utah Utes with an 87-72 win. Keyshawn Hall led the charge for the Knights, securing 23 points and heading an impressive line-up of four players who scored in double figures. Alongside Hall, Darius Johnson contributed 20 points, Jordan Ivy-Curry added 15, and Moustapha Thiam netted 14. This win propels the 14th-seeded Knights (17-15) into a match-up against the sixth-seeded Kansas team on Wednesday, as they aim to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
At the game’s outset, the Utes (16-16) established a 21-9 lead. However, UCF steadily closed the gap, concluding the first half when Hall delivered a crucial 3-pointer, reducing the difference to 40-39. The Knights then launched into a strong second half with a decisive 24-3 run, extending their lead to 63-43 with around 13 minutes remaining. This momentum just about secured their triumph against the Utes.
For Utah, it was Keanu Dawes who topped the scoring with 21 points. The team faced a somewhat similar fate against UCF in their previous encounter on February 23. Following that game, Craig Smith was relieved of his duties as the head coach. On Tuesday night, Josh Eilert stepped in as the stand-in coach, a position he had previously held for West Virginia in the Big 12 Tournament. Moving forward, Alex Jensen, noted for his role in Utah’s 1998 Final Four team and currently an assistant with the Dallas Mavericks, is slated to assume the head coach position once this season wraps up.
For UCF, ensuring strong guard performances will be pivotal, especially since their inside game showed vulnerabilities. The upcoming face-off against the Jayhawks and their 7-foot-1 center, Hunter Dickinson, adds to that challenge. Conversely, the Utes struggled to rebound from their tough start to the second half, which witnessed a sequence of 10 missed field-goal attempts.
Hall’s timely 3-pointer at the end of the first half was a game-changer, providing UCF with critical momentum. From a statistical standpoint, Utah’s struggle with 3-point shooting was evident; they managed only 4 out of 26 from long range. Next, the Knights have their eyes set on facing Kansas on Wednesday. In the regular season, UCF lost to the Jayhawks twice, adding an element of redemption to the upcoming encounter.
