UCF overpowers Mercer 81–63, extends win streak to eight
After a 10-day break, UCF returned to action Wednesday night and didn’t miss a beat, controlling the game from start to finish in an 81-63 win over Mercer at Addition Financial Arena. The Knights never trailed and improved to 9-1, marking their best start under head coach Johnny Dawkins and tying the program’s longest win streak in Dawkins’ tenure at eight games.
“(Mercer) plays with high octane and average over 85 points a game,” Dawkins said. “I was just really proud mostly of our defensive effort because I knew it was going to take a yeoman’s effort to try to slow them down, especially the way they’ve been playing as of late. So just really proud of our effort, we beat a team that I think is as scrappy as any team we faced so far this year.”
The Knights forced a season-high 17 turnovers, despite Mercer having one of the best turnover rates in the Southern Conference, and matched a season-best with 10 steals. Jordan Burks and Jamichael Stillwell led the way with three apiece.
“I was amazed we turned them over that much,” Dawkins said. “That’s not a team that gives the ball away. I thought our guys were really active. We got some steals, got our hands on some balls, and that was good to see.”
Stillwell posted his fourth double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds, also adding four assists and a block.
“He plays to exhaustion,” Dawkins said of Stillwell. “That’s what I always say about him. That’s what you want. You don’t get that from many players. A lot of players kind of pace themselves. He doesn’t.”
UCF led by as many as 10 in the first half and pulled away for good early in the second, shooting 64.3% from the field after the break, including 5-of-7 from three-point range. The game’s signature moment came less than four minutes into the second half, when Themus Fulks lofted an alley-oop to Riley Kugel for a thunderous dunk that extended the lead to 47-31.
Burks Leads the Way from Deep
Jordan Burks had a team-high 17 points on 5-of-12 shooting and 4-of-7 from beyond the arc. His three-point shooting helped UCF stretch the lead during their second-half surge.
“My teammates just found me,” Burks said. “I just tried to stay ready and keep moving without the ball, stay locked in. I feel like that’s what I did.”
Dawkins praised Burks’ continued growth.
“He’s just getting better and better,” Dawkins said. “He’s really been committed to what we’re doing, and it’s paying off. His confidence is growing.”
Kugel in Attack Mode
Riley Kugel scored 16 points and got to the free throw line eight times, making six. While his three-point shooting remained off, 0-for-4 on the night and 0-for-11 over his last three games, Kugel impacted the game in other ways.
“He was in attack mode tonight, and that’s who he has to be,” Dawkins said. “He has to be in attack mode and let everything else just fall into place. He’s too good of a player not to eventually find his rhythm again from three, and I think that’s going to happen. But he did a lot of other things. I thought these last three games have been some of his best defensively.”
Stillwell added: “He’s still about it. He’s finding his way back. He’s just playing through it.”
Stillwell’s Grind Mentality
Stillwell, who leads the team in rebounding and continues to be a reliable post presence, said his effort on the glass is just about mentality.
“Coach keeps emphasizing me being aggressive and being who I am, just crashing the glass every time. I try to get one or two (offensive rebounds) every game,” Stillwell said. “It’s just a grind mentality. It just shows how tough you are. I feel like rebounding shows your toughness. It’s not really a skill thing, it’s a will thing. That’s something I always pride myself on.”
UCF Sharp Despite 10-Day Layoff
Dawkins said his biggest concern coming into the game was rhythm after the long break, but praised his team’s effort during practices and scrimmages to stay sharp.
“My biggest concern was rhythm,” Dawkins said. “We hadn’t played a game in 10 days, but I thought our staff and our leaders did a great job of making sure every practice was competitive. It wasn’t just walk through the motions or go through the motions. Every practice was competitive. We even had a full scrimmage on Saturday that was a real scrimmage. We had referees in here. We tried to simulate a game, and I think that helped.”
Stillwell added: “Coach kept us in a real game rhythm. We practiced the same exact time that we played tonight. That scrimmage Saturday really helped us because we hadn’t had a game in so long.”
What’s Next
UCF hosts Florida Gulf Coast on Saturday, Dec. 20 at 5 p.m. before closing out the non-conference slate with a neutral site vs. Florida Atlantic at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports. Big 12 play begins Saturday, Jan. 3 at home against No. 17 Kansas.
