LAS VEGAS — Tyler Hendricks, Darius Johnson, and Nils Machowski each recorded 15 points, leading UCF to a thrilling 76-75 victory over Oregon State in the College Basketball Crown on Tuesday.
Moustapha Thiam scored the final field goal for UCF with just over two minutes left, narrowing the gap to 74-73. From there, Oregon State was unable to convert on their last four shots, allowing UCF to clinch the win.
UCF will face Cincinnati in Thursday’s quarterfinal matchup.
Along with his 15 points, Hendricks added 10 rebounds to his impressive performance for the Knights, who improved to 18-16. Johnson, contributing in other ways despite a challenging shooting night, made 4 of 16 from the field, including 2 of 8 from beyond the arc, and capitalized on 5 of 6 free-throw attempts. Machowski was efficient as well, sinking 5 of 9 shots overall and 3 of 5 from long distance.
For Oregon State, Liutauras Lelevicius was a standout with 20 points. Maxim Logue delivered a substantial effort, putting up 18 points and securing 10 rebounds, while Damarco Minor supported the effort with 16 points and eight boards.
Machowski was pivotal in the first half for the Knights, scoring 13 of his 15 points to help secure a 45-36 halftime lead. Johnson then stepped up in the second half, adding 10 crucial points to maintain UCF’s momentum.