Riley Kugel sparks UCF past Colorado, 95-86

BOULDER, Colo. — In the rugged landscape of Big 12 basketball, road wins are precious. On a frigid afternoon in Boulder, UCF warmed up just in time to shake off a two-game skid and secure a much-needed 95-86 win over Colorado on Wednesday at the CU Events Center.

It was a statement of resilience for Johnny Dawkins’ group, now 15-4 overall and 4-3 in Big 12 play, as the Knights weathered early foul trouble to earn their first-ever win at Colorado.

After falling behind 7-0 early and later trailing by as many as eight in the first half, the Knights found their footing with efficient offense and key defensive adjustments. UCF shot 61.1% from the field and knocked down a blistering 15-of-24 from three (62.5%), leading for the final 23 minutes of game action.

Riley Kugel was the spark plug. Despite picking up two fouls less than two minutes into the game, the senior guard delivered a career-high six threes and finished with 22 points, 17 of which came in the second half.

“I’m really proud of the young man,” Johnny Dawkins said on the postgame radio interview with Marc Daniels. “It’s difficult to have that type of first half, where things aren’t really going your way, you pick up foul, you know, you’re in foul trouble, and to respond the way he did. That showed a lot of maturity, and that’s what you want to see from your seniors, because I’ve seen a lot of players in that situation, even seniors, not respond that way. I’m just really happy that he was able to do that.””

Kugel’s dagger three came with just 0.6 on the shot clock after a baseline inbound, a high-arching bank that kissed glass and pushed UCF’s lead back to nine with 1:38 left, snuffing out Colorado’s comeback hopes.

Fulks steady in the backcourt, Stillwell returns strong

Senior point guard Themus Fulks continued his stellar campaign with 19 points, eight assists, and just two turnovers. He handled Colorado’s defensive pressure with poise, especially in the second half when UCF protected its lead against multiple traps and momentum swings.

“We talked about handling traps all week,” Dawkins said. “Themus was much better today. He found the right pass, didn’t panic, and played like the veteran leader we need.”

Fulks now has 138 assists on the season, ranking among national leaders in both total assists and assists per game.

After missing the Iowa State game with an ankle injury, Jamichael Stillwell returned to the starting lineup and made his presence felt immediately. The senior forward had 15 points and seven rebounds in 30 minutes, once again asserting himself as UCF’s most consistent interior force.

“He’s the heart of what we do defensively,” Dawkins said. “We needed him today, and he delivered.”

John Bol, the 7-foot-2 sophomore center, didn’t score much but grabbed 10 rebounds and altered several shots with his length. His hustle was evident when he dove on the floor for a loose ball, a moment Dawkins described as “incredible” and emblematic of Bol’s growing confidence.

Backup center Jeremy Foumena did not play, still feeling the effects an injury last Tuesday at Iowa State. Daniels said on the radio broadcast that he would be “day to day” moving forward.

Bench impact

UCF’s depth showed up again, as the bench contributed 30 points. Carmelo Pacheco was a perfect 3-of-3 from deep in his 9-point outing, while Chris Johnson added 10 points in 15 minutes.

Devan Cambridge chipped in 11 points, including the hustle play of the night, a putback layup that gave UCF its first lead, 38-37, late in the first half. UCF would never trail again.

First-half shootout, second-half adjustments

Both teams shot over 60% in a scorching first half. UCF went 17-of-28 (60.7%) and a red-hot 10-of-13 from three, while Colorado shot 63% overall and 64% from deep. But Dawkins mixed in some zone defense in the second half that helped cool the Buffs down, limiting them to 41.4% shooting after the break.

“We had to throw something different at them,” Dawkins said. “They were in rhythm, so we went zone for longer stretches than we usually do. It helped us close out better and cover shooters.”

Up next

UCF returns home for a two-game homestand starting Tuesday against Arizona State, followed by a showdown with No. 12 Texas Tech next Saturday. The Red Raiders just knocked off No. 6 Houston, 90-86.

“We needed this,” Dawkins said. “Any win in this league is big. To get it on the road, with everyone contributing, that’s something we can build on.”