For the seventh straight time, UCF Men’s Basketball defeated the South Florida Bulls. This was a much improved South Florida team from what UCF has seen in the past. The Bulls are #73 in the NET Rankings making this a quadrant two win as of right now. With an NCAA Tournament at-large bid on the line, this was a must game win for the Knights and they rose to the occasion. UCF never trailed in this game and started on a 26-7 run which was their largest lead of the first half.

Highlights

Three in the Key

1. Big Night for the Big Man

This was Tacko’s best game of the season. He had a season-high 21 points, nine rebounds and five blocks in just 26 minutes. The Bulls had no answer for him on either side of the ball. He showed touch on some of his shots but also drove the ball really well, finishing with a few high-percentage dunks. He also sank 43% of his career-high 21 free throw attempts which is above average for him.

2. Spreading the Wealth

It wasn’t up to just one guard to win the game tonight. Terrell Allen, Aubrey Dawkins and B.J. Taylor all had double-digit performances. Aubrey was hot early in the game while Terrell’s spark came with a three point jumper as time expired in the first half. B.J. had a quiet game for the most part but still put up 13 points. His value goes way beyond the stat sheet.

3. Love for the Sixth Man

Chad Brown is such a huge asset for Johnny Dawkins off the bench. He saw just 21 minutes of action tonight and still racked up nine rebounds. His energy is unmatched when he’s on the court and it ignites the crowd and his teammates. He may not be playing 30 minutes a game, but he still plays a major roll in the success of this team.

Who’s Got Next?

Memphis comes to town on February 16th as UCF looks to avenge their loss from earlier in the season. The game will tip off at 6:00 p.m. (EST) inside CFE Arena and will be broadcasted on ESPN2.