Key Highlights
- and Fulks were honored before the game. Oklahoma State (18-12, 6-11 Big 12) won for the second time in the past three games. Senior guard Anthony Roy led the Cowboys with 26 points, including 3 for 7 from 3-point range. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIt was also UCF’s annual Space Game celebration with the Knights’ players proudly wearing their Canaveral Blue uniforms.
- Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to carry the team to a win. UCF blasted off from the first tip, connecting on six of its first eight field goals, sprinting out to a 13-7 advantage over Oklahoma State.
- The Knights were hitting on all cylinders, fueled by seven early points by center John Bol. Everyone was getting into the scoring act for UCF. Redshirt junior center Elijah Hulsewe, playing in place of an injured Jeremy Foumena, scored six points in a row while grabbing a pair of early rebounds as the Knights built a double-digit lead with 13:54 left in the first half. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOklahoma State, meanwhile, went nearly three minutes without a point before scoring 16 of the next 21 points, cutting the lead to 28-26 with 7:57 in the first half. UCF went more than three minutes without a point before a pair of Jordan Burks’ free throws. The Cowboys tied the game at 31 on a 3-pointer by Jaylen Curry at the 5:39 mark before a layup and a 3-pointer by Riley Kugel, which helped the Knights retake the lead. But a 35-17 run by Oklahoma State over the final 12 minutes helped the Cowboys take a 45-40 lead into halftime. It was a back-and-forth affair to start the second half, with both teams trading mini-runs as OSU continued to hold a slight advantage. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementUCF took its first lead since the 3:24 mark in the first half when Kugel connected on a 3-pointer from the top of the key to make it 56-54. Oklahoma State retook the lead after back-to-back shooting fouls were called on the Knights.
- The second foul drew the ire of UCF coach Johnny Dawkins, who was assessed a technical foul after stepping on the court to argue with officials. Fouls continued to plague the Knights as Bol picked up his fourth with 8:36 left in the game, forcing him to the bench. Themus Fulks went to the free throw line after being fouled on a drive in the paint with 37.3 seconds, pulling the Knights within 91-89. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOSU’s Kayne Clary missed the first of a pair of free throw attempts, extending the lead to 92-89, but the Kugel’s layup with 30 seconds left cut the lead to 92-91.
- Isaiah Coleman’s dunk pushed the lead to 94-91 with 24 seconds. On UCF’s next possession, Chris Johnson nailed a 3–pointer at the top of the key to tie the game at 94. Curry’s floater in the paint rolled off the basket, but was touched by Bol before going out of bounds with 1.3 seconds left.