UCF sets program record with 19 threes in 102-80 win over FGCU

UCF caught fire from deep and never looked back.

The Knights drained a school-record 19 three-pointers on Saturday evening to power past Florida Gulf Coast, 102-80, at Addition Financial Arena, improving to 10-1 and extending their win streak to nine games—both marks the best start in Johnny Dawkins’ 10 seasons as head coach.

Despite a red-hot start by FGCU, which shot 61 percent from the field and 9-of-11 from three-point range in the first half, UCF found its footing defensively and outscored the Eagles 53-31 after halftime.

“Give a lot of credit to Florida Gulf Coast for the way they came in, how well they were prepared, and just how well they shot the basketball,” Dawkins said postgame. “I give our guys a lot of credit because when you’re facing a team that’s that hot, you have to dig down real deep and find something within you.”

Burks, Fulks lead explosive offense

Jordan Burks led the charge with a career-high 23 points on 6-of-11 shooting from three. He scored 18 of his points in the first half and added three rebounds and two assists. Themus Fulks added 21 points and five assists, shooting 9-for-15 from the field and a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc.

“We just need to make an adjustment defensively,” Fulks said about FGCU’s hot start. “It was really just us. We were just giving them easy shots. Once we cleaned that up, it got easier.”

Devan Cambridge chipped in 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting, including 4-of-4 from three, while Jamichael Stillwell added a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds—eight of them offensive. Chris Johnson scored 12 points, including a pair of second-half threes to help break the game open.

“We didn’t know about the record,” Cambridge said. “We just had it going.”

As a team, UCF shot 19-of-35 from three (54.3%) and 52.1% overall. Their 19 made threes broke the previous program high of 17 against Tulsa in 2023.

Big second half turns tied game into rout

Despite FGCU leading by as many as eight in the first half, the Knights closed on an 8-0 run to tie it 49-49 at the break. Stillwell started the second half with a three-point play, and Fulks and Burks followed with buckets as UCF began to assert itself on both ends.

Chris Johnson and Cambridge each hit threes midway through the second half to stretch the Knights’ lead to 78-64 with 9:33 remaining—the 14th made three tying the season high. From there, the Knights poured it on.

“We knew the first half wasn’t UCF Basketball,” Fulks said. “We hang our hat on defense. That was kind of a reality check. I feel like we answered the bell and did a better job in the second half.”

Stillwell’s work on the glass proved crucial during that stretch, repeatedly creating second-chance opportunities. He grabbed seven second-half rebounds and made several key layups to push the lead.

“J-Mike’s going to have his presence felt every night,” Cambridge said. “He’s just a dog. He’s going to do the little things, and it’s going to show every night.”

Defensive adjustments pay off

FGCU’s early success came in part due to their unorthodox defensive looks and red-hot shooting, but Dawkins said the Knights made necessary adjustments after the break.

“We got back to following the game plan,” Dawkins said. “I didn’t think we followed it as well as we needed to in the first half, and they got a lot of great looks. In the second half, we corrected that for the most part, and that helped us.”

UCF limited FGCU to just 40 percent shooting in the second half (12-of-30), including 6-of-16 from three, after allowing them to hit 81.8% from deep in the opening period.

“It starts with awareness—just being aware of shooters and understanding personnel,” Dawkins added. “We needed to make sure we were there on the catch and not let them get comfortable.”

Depth continues to shine

UCF’s bench accounted for 40 points, including a 9-point performance from George Beale Jr., who hit all three of his 3-point attempts in the final two minutes. Eleven different Knights scored, and Dawkins said the balance and buy-in from the entire roster is what gives this team staying power.

“Pretty much every player has given us a lift in some kind of way,” Dawkins said. “That’s what you want to see.”

The Knights only committed 10 turnovers despite FGCU mixing defenses throughout the night.

“They were going from man to zone and matching up out of the zone,” Dawkins said. “I thought our guys started to figure it out as the game went on.”

Up Next: Final OOC test vs. FAU at Disney

UCF now turns its attention to their non-conference finale against Florida Atlantic on Tuesday at ESPN Wide World of Sports at Disney. The game was arranged late after a previously scheduled opponent backed out.

“I’m just happy that we were able to get a game with FAU,” Dawkins said. “I respect their coach. I respect their program and what they do. You know, I follow them because we have some mutual friends, and they’ve done a good job.”

The Owls, coached by John Jakus, dropped to 8-4 Friday night with a 88-75 road loss at Saint Mary’s.

Postgame Press Conference

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