The Charge

Men's basketball charges on to NCAA tournament as No. 10 seed

The UCF men’s basketball team erupted in cheer after being announced the No. 10 seed in the East region during its NCAA tournament selection show watch party at Addition Financial Arena Sunday.The Knights will face the No. 7-seeded UCLA Bruins in Philadelphia on Friday after punching their ticket to the tournament for the first time since 2019.
A 66-65 overtime win over Cincinnati sent the team to the Big 12 tournament quarterfinals in Kansas City, where it later fell to top-seeded Arizo...

No.1 Arizona routs UCF, ending Knights’ Big 12 tournament run

UCF’s brief Big 12 tournament run ended Thursday afternoon as top-seeded Arizona notched an 81-59 win at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.The Knights entered the matchup as 16.5-point underdogs just 24 hours after rallying from a 12-point deficit to defeat Cincinnati 66-65 in overtime and advance to the quarterfinals.
The contest marked the second meeting between the teams this season after Arizona defeated UCF 84-77 on Jan. 17 at Addition Financial Arena.The Wildcats asserte...

Men's basketball narrowly escapes Cincinnati, reaches Big 12 Tournament quarterfinals

UCF men's basketball rallied to overcome Cincinnati 66-65 in overtime at the T-Mobile Center Wednesday afternoon, earning the Knights a spot in the Big 12 tournament quarterfinals.The comeback snapped UCF’s three-game losing streak and kept its NCAA tournament hopes alive after the skid dropped the team's regular-season record to 20-10 overall and 9-9 in Big 12 play.
UCF entered the game reeling from its regular-season finale against West Virginia University on Friday, leaving the Knight...

UCF secures first-round bye in Big 12 tournament despite 3-game skid

The Knights’ seeding in the Big 12 tournament was locked up on Saturday, securing a first-round bye despite the men's basketball team’s Friday night loss to West Virginia at Hope Coliseum in Morgantown.A 73-63 home win by TCU over Cincinnati on Saturday locked UCF into the No. 8 seed in the conference standings and solidified their spot in the tournament bracket, sending the Knights to Kansas City with a 20-10 overall record and a 9-9 mark in Big 12 play. 
The result ensured UCF would av...

Big 12 embraces the future with LED court for basketball tournaments

When members of the UCF men’s basketball team first stepped onto the ASB GlassFloor in Orlando last offseason, they said it took some getting used to."When I first got on it, it was kind of different," UCF sixth-year forward Devan Cambridge said. "But when we started practicing going up and down the court, it felt kind of the same."
The Big 12 Conference announced in a Feb. 11 press release that it will debut ASB GlassFloor’s full LED video court at the 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men’s and...

Fulks sets UCF single-season assists record in win over No. 19 BYU

Fifth-year guard Themus Fulks etched his name into the record books Tuesday night, setting UCF’s single-season assists record in the Knights’ dominant 97-84 victory over No. 19 BYU at the Marriott Center.His 184th assist of the season pushed him past Sinua Phillips’ long-standing mark of 183 — a record that stood for 34 years.Phillips originally set the program record during the 1991-92 season, serving as UCF’s primary point guard during the program’s early Division I era. He established himself...

GALLERY: Men’s basketball breaks losing streak with 82-71 win over TCU

The UCF men’s basketball team got back to its winning ways Tuesday evening, defeating Texas Christian University 82-71.The Knights came off a three-game losing streak ahead of the matchup against the Horned Frogs (16-10, 6-7 Big 12). Opposite of UCF, TCU was on a three-game win streak heading into the game.UCF got out in front in the first half behind junior forward Jordan Burks, who scored 16 of his career-high 23 points before the break, helping build a 42-28 halftime lead for the Knights (18-...

Knights suffer 1-point loss to Baylor, following 'petty' foul call in final seconds

Senior guard Riley Kugel made his return to the lineup Saturday night, scoring a team-high 26 points in UCF’s 87-86 loss to Baylor University at a packed-out Addition Financial Arena.The Knights had a chance to tack another win on their record after a successful two-game road trip out west that saw them improve to 9-6 in Big 12 play.
Instead, a last-second foul call on Kugel at the 3-point line gave the Bears a one-point edge that secured them a win.Senior forward Jamichael Stillwell was...

GALLERY: Baylor squeezes out 1-point win over men's basketball

UCF men’s basketball succumbed 87-86 to Baylor University at Addition Financial Arena Saturday night.The Knights hoped to continue their momentum from a successful two-game road trip and add a tenth conference win to their record (20-8, 9-7 Big 12) heading into the matchup against the Bears (15-14, 5-11 Big 12). Senior guard Riley Kugel returned to the lineup and led UCF with 26 points, fueling the Knights’ offense throughout the night.The game remained competitive early before Baylor had a late...

West Virginia overcomes 14-point deficit to hand men's basketball 3rd straight loss

The UCF men’s basketball team suffered its third consecutive loss Saturday evening after West Virginia rallied to overcome a 14-point deficit, leaving the final score 74-67.The Knights came off an underwhelming road trip that saw them drop two straight games in blowout fashion — dipping their conference record to 6-5 — ahead of the matchup against the Mountaineers (16-9, 7-5 Big 12). Saturday's home game marked UCF's sixth conference loss, giving the Knights a .500 Big 12 record.
Senior...

Men's basketball looks to rebound against West Virginia following road trip slump

The UCF men’s basketball team will face West Virginia at Addition Financial Arena at 6 p.m. on Saturday, its first home game since suffering consecutive road losses to then-No. 8 Houston — now No. 3 — and Cincinnati.Head coach Johnny Dawkins said during Wednesday’s press conference that the recent bye week was crucial in allowing the team to settle and heal following its underwhelming road outings.
“It's good to have this opportunity to get back and have a bye week to just settle in,” Da...

Former UCF football head coach Gus Malzahn announces retirement

Former UCF football head coach Gus Malzahn announced his retirement in a social media post on X from coaching on Monday after a brief stint with Florida State University, ending a 35-year career.After being fired by Auburn in 2020, Malzahn accepted the head coaching position at UCF in 2021, where he stayed for the next four years.
"It's exciting to be head of a program where the future is extremely bright,” Malzahn said after being hired by UCF in February 2021. “I will be hitting the gr...

Stillwell returns to lineup, UCF ends two-game skid with 95-86 win at Colorado

The UCF men’s basketball team took down the University of Colorado 95-86 on the road Saturday afternoon, rebounding after suffering consecutive losses.The Knights (15-4, 4-3 Big 12) saw senior forward Jamichael Stillwell, who missed Tuesday's game against Iowa State with an ankle injury, return against the Buffaloes (12-8, 2-5 Big 12), adding much-needed support to UCF’s frontcourt.
UCF got off to a rocky start in the opening minutes, falling behind 7-0 as senior guard Riley Kugel got in...

UCF held to season-low in points, falls 87-57 against No. 9 Iowa State

The UCF men’s basketball team fell 87-57 to No. 9 Iowa State University on the road Tuesday evening, losing two consecutive games for the first time this season.Senior guard Riley Kugel scored the game's first points, sinking a 25-foot 3-pointer to give the Knights what would be their only lead of the game.
The Cyclones’ stingy defense gave the Knights (14-4, 3-3 Big 12) trouble early, forcing 13 turnovers in the first half, the most Iowa State (17-2, 4-2 Big 12) has forced in any half t...

UCF Ph.D. candidate's work in receiving the Order of Pegasus

Growing up surrounded by wetlands near the Virginia Beach area, Tiffany Dawson developed a deep love for marine biology and a lifelong passion for ecological conservation.Dawson, a UCF integrative and conservation biology Ph.D. candidate, was recently inducted into UCF’s Order of Pegasus, the most prestigious award a student can receive at the school, according to UCF's website.
As a member of UCF’s marine turtle research group, Dawson was recognized by the school for her research on the...

UCF stuns Arizona State in the game’s final minute with narrow 79-76 win

The UCF men’s basketball team stunned Arizona State University 79-76 Tuesday evening at Addition Financial Arena in the second-ever matchup between the two schools.The Knights (16-4, 5-3 Big 12) took the lead early, going up 9-2 before surrendering a 10-2 Sun Devils (11-10, 2-6 Big 12) scoring run.
UCF took an 18-14 lead before ASU took full control of the game. The Knights didn't reclaim the lead until there was less than a minute on the clock in the second half.The Sun Devils’ physical...

UCF men's basketball left unranked for 4th straight week despite key upsets

The UCF men’s basketball team remains unranked in the Associated Press Top 25 poll as of Feb. 2, despite Saturday’s court-storming home win against then-No. 11 Texas Tech.The Knights (17-4, 6-3 Big 12) currently sit in sixth place in the Big 12 conference standings and are the only unranked team among the top seven.Despite home wins against then-No. 17 Kansas (16-5, 6-2 Big 12) and current No. 13 Texas Tech (16-5, 6-2 Big 12), along with a road victory against SEC-leading Texas A&M (17-4, 7-1 SE...

UCF mental health professionals weigh in on potential national antidepressant investigation

UCF mental health professionals discussed how Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s plan to investigate antidepressants may lead to more problems in the ongoing mental health crisis in the country.During his confirmation hearing on Jan. 29, Kennedy stated his intention to investigate the use of antidepressants in the country, particularly Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, as part of his “Make America Healthy Again” campaign.
“I know people, including membe...

UCF World Water Day event educates attendees on water sustainability and challenges

UCF Student Government and the UCF Arboretum celebrated World Water Day on Monday in the Cape Florida Ballroom with an event that informed students and faculty on water sustainability and global water challenges.Attendees were greeted outside the ballroom by members of UCF's Coastal and Estuarine Ecology Lab (CEELAB) who set up a table with biodegradable ecosystem engineering products (BESE), which are environmentally safe products used for ecosystem restoration.
The event had seven spea...

UCF scientists discuss Earth's asteroid defenses and research

NASA recently assessed asteroid 2024 YR4, also known as the "city-killer" asteroid, which now has a lower probability of impacting Earth in 2032. The chance of an impact has dropped significantly to 0.0012% at the time of publication, but questions remain about Earth's asteroid defenses.Dr. Joshua Colwell, UCF pegasus professor and associate dean for research in the College of Sciences, said lead time is critical for deflecting an impending asteroid. Lead time is the head start scientists have t...

UCF researchers discover data surrounding sea turtles' "lost years"

Researchers from UCF's Marine Turtle Research Group used satellite trackers to uncover new data released earlier this month regarding the behavior of young sea turtles during what is known as "the lost years.""The lost years" term is used to describe turtles lives in between leaving a beach after hatching, to returning to shore as a juvenile. The new data suggests that previous hypotheses about the turtles’ behaviors and migration routes during this time may not have been as accurate as initiall...

UCF fans descend on Gainesville for showdown with Gators

UCF fans arrived in droves for the Knights' highly anticipated matchup with in-state rival Florida, Saturday evening in Gainesville.Despite the large number of Gator fans wandering the streets of Florida’s campus, Knights fans made their presence felt, with their iconic “Go Knights” and “Charge on” monikers, as well as their familiar black and gold colors shining through the sea of orange and blue.
As fans waited for Ben Hill Griffin Stadium’s gates to open, tailgating and pregame activi...