ORLANDO, Fla. (Interstat) — UCF edged Cincinnati 73-72 in a tense Big 12 Conference men’s basketball game Sunday at CFE Arena. The Knights survived a late push from the Bearcats to improve to 13-2 overall. Cincinnati led 32-33 at halftime, but both teams scored 40 points in the second half in a back-and-forth finish. The Bearcats fell to 8-8 with the narrow defeat. Attendance was 7,899. UCF, a 3.5-point pregame favorite, was projected with a 76% win probability. The combined score fell short of the 150-point over/under. The Knights host Arizona next Saturday, while Cincinnati faces Colorado on Wednesday.

OVIEDO, Fla. (Interstat) — Themus Fulks’ floating jumper in the lane with 13 seconds remaining Sunday lifted UCF to a 73-72 victory over Cincinnati in a tense Big 12 Conference men’s basketball game that was decided in the final possession. In a contest featuring 15 lead changes and neither team leading by more than seven points, the Knights secured their fourth consecutive win by executing in the final minute. After Cincinnati’s Moustapha Thiam gave the Bearcats a 72-71 lead with a hook shot at the two-minute mark, both teams traded empty possessions. UCF called a timeout with 24 seconds left to set up the final play. The ball found Fulks, the Knights’ senior point guard, who drove into the paint and lofted a soft shot over the Cincinnati defense for the decisive points. The Bearcats had one final chance, but Jalen Celestine’s contested 3-point attempt from the wing as time expired missed, sealing the one-point outcome before a crowd of 7,899 at CFE Arena. The game was a showcase for individual brilliance, particularly from Cincinnati’s Thiam. The 7-foot-2 sophomore center from Dakar, Senegal, dominated the interior, scoring a game-high 24 points on efficient shooting, including a crucial three-point play late in the second half that kept the Bearcats close. His counterpart in the post, UCF’s Jeremy Foumena of Montreal, answered with 12 points and a strong defensive presence. The backcourt battle was equally compelling. UCF’s Riley Kugel, an Orlando native, led the Knights with 19 points and six assists, providing steady offense throughout. His backcourt mate, Fulks, orchestrated the offense with precision, dishing out 12 assists against only three turnovers, with the last assist being his own game-winning shot. Cincinnati’s guard tandem of Jizzle James and Baba Miller provided significant support for Thiam. James finished with 14 points, while Miller, the 6-11 forward from Mallorca, Spain, filled the stat sheet with 13 points, four assists and two blocks. Jamichael Stillwell provided critical balance for UCF, adding 15 points, many coming on timely baskets to stem Cincinnati runs. The first half set the tone for the nail-biter, with UCF taking a narrow 33-32 lead into halftime. The Knights built their largest lead at 42-35 early in the second half after a dunk by Foumena, but the Bearcats responded with a 9-0 run, capped by a Baba Miller dunk, to reclaim the lead. From there, the teams traded blows, with neither able to gain separation. UCF improved to 13-2 overall and strengthened its position in the Big 12. The Knights, who were installed as a 3.5-point pregame favorite, have now won 10 of their last 11 games, with the only loss in that stretch coming on the road at Oklahoma State. Cincinnati fell to 8-8, dropping its third straight game, all by single digits in conference play. The Bearcats have lost five of their last six, with several close defeats, including a two-point loss at West Virginia earlier in the week. The game’s total of 145 points fell under the pregame over/under line of 150. According to National Statistical’s ELO system, UCF entered with a 76.2% probability to win. UCF travels to face Kansas State on Wednesday. Cincinnati returns home to host Colorado, also on Wednesday. The two teams will meet again in a rematch at Cincinnati on Feb. 8.

Preview: Cincinnati Bearcats at UCF Knights OVIEDO, Fla. (Interstat) — The surging UCF Knights look to rebound from their first conference loss when they host the struggling Cincinnati Bearcats in a Big 12 men’s basketball matchup Sunday at CFE Arena. UCF (12-2, 1-1 Big 12) saw a seven-game win streak snapped in an 87-76 road loss at Oklahoma State on Tuesday. Prior to that, the Knights opened league play with a statement 81-75 home victory over then-Kansas, highlighting their potential as a conference newcomer. The Knights are led by guard Riley Kugel, who is averaging 16.8 points over his last five games. He scored 19 in the win over Kansas and 15 in the loss at Oklahoma State. Cincinnati (8-7, 0-2) enters seeking its first Big 12 win after narrow losses to open its conference schedule. The Bearcats fell 67-60 to Houston and then 62-60 at West Virginia on Tuesday. They have lost five of their last seven games overall. Guard Day Day Thomas has been a bright spot for Cincinnati, averaging 11.6 points and 3.4 assists over the last seven contests. He scored 17 points in a close road loss at Clemson last month and had 15 points and four assists against Houston. The matchup pits UCF’s efficient offense, which has scored 80 or more points in eight games, against a Cincinnati team that has struggled to find consistent scoring, failing to reach 70 points in four of its last five outings. This game begins a pivotal stretch for both teams. UCF embarks on a run of four road games in its next five after Sunday. Cincinnati continues a grueling early conference slate before returning home next week. The Knights won both meetings last season when both were members of the American Athletic Conference. This will be their first clash as Big 12 foes. Tip-off is scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026.