Burks, Pacheco shoot UCF past Texas A&M in 86–74 road comeback

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — UCF walked into one of the SEC’s toughest home environments Friday night and walked out with its most impressive win of the young season — an 86–74 comeback victory at Texas A&M in Reed Arena, fueled by torrid second-half shooting and a breakout performance from junior forward Jordan Burks.

Burks poured in 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including 5-for-7 from three, powering a UCF offense that erupted for 56 second-half points after a grinding, defensive first half ended at 30–30. The Knights (3–1) also received a major spark from sharpshooter Carmelo Pacheco, who drilled five three-pointers on six attempts finishing with 15 points as UCF overwhelmed the Aggies with perimeter firepower.

The win is UCF’s first road victory of the season and completed a sweep of the short two-game series between the programs. The Knights stunned then-No. 13 Texas A&M in Orlando last November, 64–61, and Friday’s game played out with a similar script, a rugged battle that turned when Johnny Dawkins’ team started hitting shots and controlling tempo.

A tale of two halves

The game opened with both sides struggling to find rhythm. UCF hit just 37 percent of its shots in the first half, while Texas A&M fared even worse at 26.7 percent. Both teams were locked at 30–30 at the break, and the Aggies’ trademark pressure — a staple under first-year head coach Bucky McMillan’s fast-paced “Bucky Ball” system — forced UCF into early turnovers and short-circuited offensive flow.

Everything flipped after intermission.

Texas A&M (2–2) burst out of the locker room on an 11–0 run early in the second half, stretching the lead to 14 points with 12:15 to play — their largest advantage of the night. But from there, UCF settled in, slowed the game down, and let its depth and shot-making take over.

Over the course of the second half, the Knights outscored the Aggies 56–44, ripping off a methodical comeback that featured improved ball security, crisper half-court execution, and three-point shooting that Texas A&M couldn’t match. UCF finished the second half shooting 62.1 percent from the field and an astonishing 61.5 percent from deep (8-for-13).

The Knights tied the game at 65–65 with under six minutes left, then closed on a 21–9 surge to seal the win.

Burks, Pacheco lead the way

For the second time in four games, Jordan Burks delivered a go-to scoring performance.

The 6-9 forward, who scored 17 points in the season opener vs. Hofstra, again showcased his versatility, spacing the floor and knocking down high-difficulty threes.

Carmelo Pacheco helped break the game open late.

Already known as one of the nation’s elite returning shooters — he ranked fourth nationally in three-point percentage last season (46.4%) — Pacheco attempted six shots, all from beyond the arc, and made five of them.

His three-pointer with UCF trailing 63–58 sparked the Knights’ final push.

Balanced Scoring Behind the Stars

UCF again showcased its depth, one of the hallmarks of Dawkins’ rebuilt roster, which features 13 newcomers and no returning scoring from last season.

Three other Knights hit double figures:

Riley Kugel — 12 points, 5 rebounds
The senior guard, now nearing the 1,000-point career milestone, provided several downhill drives that halted A&M momentum.

Themus Fulks — 11 points, 9 assists
The veteran point guard controlled the game late, attacking the Aggies’ pressure and going 6-for-6 from the line. His nine assists paced UCF.

John Bol — 11 points, 3 rebounds
The 7-2 sophomore was a major interior presence early, scoring seven of UCF’s first 15 points.

Next up

UCF returns home Monday night to host Oakland, then heads to Daytona Beach on Thursday, Nov. 20 to face Pitt in the Legends Classic.