Knights torch Rattlers with 13 threes in blowout win
ORLANDO, Fla. — Balanced scoring, sizzling shooting, and an early defensive statement powered UCF to its most dominant performance yet this season.
The Knights never trailed en route to a 97-60 dismantling of Florida A&M on Tuesday night inside Addition Financial Arena, improving to 2-1 on the year. UCF led wire to wire, opening the game on a 17-1 blitz and showcasing its depth with 12 different players recording a basket.
Hot start, red-hot shooting
UCF blitzed the visiting Rattlers with an early 17-1 run that saw six different players score, including back-to-back threes from Jamichael Stillwell and Riley Kugel. That spurt was part of a near-flawless opening stretch in which UCF shot 58% in the first half (18-of-31), including 7-of-11 from three.
“I thought we got off to a really good start,” UCF coach Johnny Dawkins said. “Really proud of our guys, the way we responded after our last outing. We challenged our guys and I was really happy with their effort and their execution, especially in the first half.”
The Knights shot a season-best 55% from the floor (36-of-66) and connected on a scorching 65% from deep (13-of-20), their most efficient three-point performance of the young season.
Pacheco breakout, Kugel steady
Junior guard Carmelo Pacheco led the charge with 17 points off the bench, knocking down 5-of-6 from three. It was his first time leading UCF in scoring and came in just his third game with the program.
“It felt good,” Pacheco said. “But I give all the credit to my teammates. Every day they’re encouraging me to keep shooting. I was just ready for my moment. They were finding me tonight, and I was knocking them down.”
Dawkins said Pacheco was a priority in the transfer portal because of how well his skillset fit UCF’s offensive system.
“Any time you can recruit a young man like Carmelo who shoots the ball that well, we were very excited that he committed to us because we thought he fit our system very well — the way he shoots the basketball, he spaces the floor,” Dawkins said. “We’ve had guys like Matt Williams have had success for us when I first got here. We had my son, Aubrey Dawkins, who shot the ball very well. We had guys that were capable shooters.
“And so he’s in line with some guys that we felt were very good shooters and really helped our program. And we feel that Carmelo can be one of those guys for us as well.”
Riley Kugel continued his strong start to the season with 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting, including a perfect 3-of-3 from beyond the arc. The Orlando native has now scored in double figures in all three games this season and is inching closer to the 1,000-point career milestone.
George Beale Jr. added 10 points, while Devan Cambridge chipped in eight and Themus Fulks filled the stat sheet with six points, six rebounds and six assists.
Depth on display
UCF’s bench outscored FAMU’s reserves 51-34, with every available Knight scoring except one. In total, 12 different players recorded a point, and the team tallied 24 assists on 36 made field goals. It was the third consecutive game the Knights recorded 20+ assists.
“We’re always talking about making connecting plays,” Dawkins said. “Carmelo was a spark for us. A few games ago it was George. We have guys that can come in and contribute in that way, which helps us out a great deal.”
The Knights also won the rebounding battle 48-24 and dominated second-chance points 17-2. UCF turned 16 Florida A&M turnovers into 22 points and had a 24-9 edge in fast break scoring.
Defensive growth and next steps
Despite the lopsided win, Dawkins and his players remained focused on areas for improvement, most notably maintaining intensity for all 40 minutes. The Knights led 48-20 at halftime but allowed 40 points after the break.
“We had a really good defensive effort, especially for probably 25 minutes of the game,” Dawkins said. “But we’ve got to string together 40 minutes of UCF basketball.”
Devan Cambridge echoed that message.
“We lost focus in the second half,” Cambridge said. “We started playing to the score instead of playing with purpose. If we want to beat tougher teams, we have to stay locked in.”
FAMU struggles early, finds second-half spark
Florida A&M (0-3), led by former Heisman Trophy winner and NBA veteran Charlie Ward in his first year as head coach, struggled to generate offense early. The Rattlers shot just 28.6% in the first half and went more than six minutes without a field goal during UCF’s opening run.
Freshman Anthony Knowles provided a bright spot with 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting, all from three-point range.
“We didn’t compete very well in the first half,” Ward said. “But I thought the second half was much better. It was a nine-point game in the second half, and we’ll take some positives from that.”
Two former NBA players turned college coaches
Before wrapping up his postgame remarks, Dawkins took a moment to praise Ward, a rare two-sport standout who won the Heisman Trophy in football before transitioning to a long NBA career.
“I don’t think they make many like him anymore,” Dawkins said. “Even back when we were coming up, they didn’t make many like him. What a terrific player he was, both in football and basketball.
“And he’s a terrific coach, watching what he’s doing. He had a long NBA career, over a decade, and has experience working at that level as well. Now he’s in college, and I think college basketball is better off having someone like him. He brings so much to these young people, both on and off the court, with the lessons he can teach.
“I love to see that, and I love to see him continue to develop his team as he builds. I think his team’s going to have a lot of success.”
Ward’s rookie season in the NBA with the New York Knicks overlapped Dawkins’ final pro season with the Detroit Pistons.
“I watched (Dawkins) play for a long time as a little kid. So I admired him from afar,” Ward said. “I don’t think I got a chance to play against him because if it was my rookie year, I didn’t play very much. So I did get a chance to watch him play.
“But he has a very good team, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to be here, and he’s doing a great job here.”
Up Next
UCF now turns its attention to its first road test of the season — a Friday night showdown at Texas A&M.
It marks the return leg of a home-and-home series that began last season in Orlando, where the Knights edged the then-No. 13 Aggies, 64-61. Texas A&M enters this season with a new head coach after Buzz Williams departed for Maryland during the offseason. Taking over is Bucky McMillan, who previously led Samford. The Aggies are 2-1 to start the year, posting blowout wins over Northwestern State and Texas Southern, while suffering an 87-63 road loss at Oklahoma State.
“We’ll start preparing tonight,” Dawkins said. “They’re a terrific program. It’s a great opportunity for our guys, and I know they’d rather play than practice.”
