In a thrilling College Basketball Crown semifinal, UCF emerged victorious over Villanova with a 104-98 win in overtime on Saturday in Las Vegas. Darius Johnson was the standout performer for the Knights, netting a career-high 42 points, with 10 coming during the overtime period, leading his team to a pivotal victory.
The Knights, boasting a record of 20-16, are set to face Nebraska in the championship game scheduled for Sunday. The Cornhuskers secured their spot in the final after defeating Boise State 79-69 in an earlier semifinal matchup.
Johnson, in addition to his scoring prowess, contributed seven assists and snagged five rebounds for UCF. Key support came from Jordan Ivy-Curry, who nailed four 3-pointers as part of his 18-point and seven-rebound effort. Deebo Coleman added to the offensive firepower with 13 points, including three 3-pointers.
Villanova’s Wooga Poplar was the top performer for the Wildcats, leading the team with 32 points and 11 rebounds. His teammates Eric Dixon and Tyler Perkins also made significant contributions, scoring 29 and 18 points respectively, while collectively grabbing an additional 13 rebounds.
In a dramatic finish to regulation, Johnson drained a crucial 3-pointer with just eight seconds remaining, tying the game and pushing it into overtime. During the extra period, he was near-perfect, hitting 2 of 3 field goals and 6 of 7 free throws, sealing the game for UCF.