UCF Upsets Cincinnati 66-65 to Secure NCAA Bid

The Knights rallied from a 12‑point deficit to win 66‑65 in Kansas City. Riley Kugel ignited an 8‑0 run in the final 2:06 of regulation, and Jamichael Stillwell and John Bol each added four points in overtime. UCF dominated second‑chance points (17‑3) and inside the paint (38‑10), while Cincinnati struggled to a 33.8% shooting performance.

With the win, UCF (21‑10, 9‑9) secures an at‑large spot and will face top‑seeded Arizona in the first round. Coach Johnny Dawkins praised the team’s resilience, noting they “had to fight back on numerous occasions.” ESPN’s Joe Lunardi had listed UCF among the last four at‑large teams before the game.