UCF can't overcome Vanderbilt's hot shooting in 105-93 home loss

ORLANDO — Vanderbilt put on an offensive clinic with 14 three-pointers as they rolled to a 105-93 victory against UCF Saturday afternoon at Addition Financial Arena.

The Knights fell to 1-1, while Vanderbilt, an NCAA Tournament team last year under second-year coach Mark Byington, improved to 2-0.

Postgame Press Conferences

First-half fireworks from Vanderbilt

Both teams came out blazing, hitting five of their first seven shots, but it was Vanderbilt’s unrelenting perimeter barrage that blew the game open. The Commodores hit 10 threes in the opening 20 minutes, shooting a blistering 61% from the field to build a 52-36 halftime lead.

Tyler Nickel, one of five Vandy players in double figures, was lethal early with 11 first-half points and four three-pointers. Guards Duke Miles and Tyler Tanner each buried a trio of threes, while transfer Frankie Collins orchestrated the offense with 17 points and five assists.

UCF, meanwhile, got another strong showing from senior guard Riley Kugel, who scored 25 points on 9-of-19 shooting, including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. But despite Kugel’s first-half spark, the Knights couldn’t keep pace with Vanderbilt’s rhythm or ball movement.

“We emphasized not giving up the three, and they hit 10 in the first half,” Johnny Dawkins said. “That’s not who we want to be. Our defense has got to be better. We can’t keep trading baskets because eventually that’ll open up a lead, and it did.”

Vandy keeps rolling, UCF rallies late

When Vanderbilt opened the second half on a 10-0 run to go up 62-36, the game looked all but decided. The Commodores led by as many as 27 points midway through the period and finished shooting nearly 56% from the field (38-of-68). They also converted 15-of-17 free throws (88%) while committing just six turnovers.

But UCF showed resilience down the stretch. Aided by Chris Johnson’s breakout performance, the Knights ripped off a 12-2 run to close the gap. Johnson, making his UCF debut after transferring from Stephen F. Austin, scored 17 points on 5-of-8 shooting and added five assists with zero turnovers.

“I just trusted my work,” Johnson said. “My teammates kept me confident. When my number was called, I was ready.”

The crowd came alive when Johnson’s straightaway three cut the deficit to 91-82 with 5:48 left. But moments later, Vanderbilt’s Tyler Tanner swung the momentum back, scoring in transition and then stealing the inbounds pass for a layup, part of a sequence Byington cited as “the biggest plays of the game.”

“UCF really fought,” Byington said. “We got the lead out to twenty-something, and they had a great response. But our guys answered with key stops and plays when it mattered.”

Offensive highs and defensive lessons

UCF finished with impressive offensive numbers — 53.4% from the floor, 9-of-16 from three (56.3%), and 22-of-28 from the free-throw line (78.6%) — but could not overcome a 20-2 disadvantage in points off turnovers.

Four Knights scored in double figures: Kugel (25), Johnson (17), Jamichael Stillwell (15 points, 6 rebounds) and Devan Cambridge (12 points, 5 rebounds). Stillwell, the former Milwaukee forward, provided toughness inside and drew seven fouls.

“Our fight in the second half, I can work with that,” Dawkins said. “Adversity reveals who you are. Being down 20-plus and still clawing back, that’s something we can build on. But it can’t take that long to start playing our game.”

Vanderbilt, meanwhile, continued its early-season trend as one of the nation’s most efficient offensive units. The Commodores, who hit 17 threes in their opener vs. Lipscomb, once again showed depth and balance with five players scoring in double figures: Miles (20), Tanner (17), Nickel (17), Collins (17) and Harris (14).

The Commodores’ 105 points marked the second straight game over the century mark, and their 14 three-pointers gave them 31 through two contests.

Kugel leads again, but calls for defensive buy-in

For the second consecutive outing, Kugel led UCF’s offense — following up his 19-point opener vs. Hofstra — but his focus postgame was on the team’s defensive lapses.

“They got off to an early start on us,” Kugel said. “We just have to fix that. It starts with energy and buy-in on defense. We’ll bounce back.”

Dawkins echoed that sentiment, noting the Knights’ zero steals, an anomaly for a UCF team that has prided itself on defensive pressure.

“We want to turn teams over and get out and run. That’s who we are,” Dawkins said. “We didn’t do that until maybe the last 13 minutes. When we play that way, we’re tough to stop.”

Next up: Florida A&M visits Tuesday

The Knights continue their three-game homestand Tuesday night against Florida A&M (7 p.m., ESPN+), seeking to rebound before their first road test at Texas A&M on Nov. 14.

Despite Saturday’s loss, Dawkins said he remains optimistic about the group’s growth potential.

“They like each other. They play for each other,” he said. “Now it’s about learning how to win together. Every possession matters, and we’ll keep teaching that.”