UCF men’s basketball team opened the season with an emphatic 85-62 win over visiting FIU on Monday night at Addition Financial Arena.
Guard Jaylin Sellers, one of six transfers on the roster, led the team with 23 points while returning starter Darius Johnson added 15 on 3 of 8 shooting from behind the 3-point arc. Ten players scored for the Knights, who shot 50% from the field.
After hitting four of its first seven shots, UCF (1-0, 0-0 Big 12) went cold, going 1-for-8 from the field during a three-minute stretch during the first quarter. FIU (0-1, 0-0 CUSA) took advantage, cutting an eight-point lead to 3 with 11:34 left.
But the Knights finished the half with a 25-5 run sparked by Sellers, who scored eight of his 23 points and grabbed four rebounds during that stretch as UCF grabbed a 43-21 halftime lead.
“It was pretty good to have my teammates trust me to get to my spots and also just helping me stay focused even though I wasn’t shooting the ball as well,” said Sellers.
That advantage grew to 30 points in the second half as UCF created four steals in the first four minutes.
“We did a great job on defense and that’s something we’ve been talking about,” said Johnson. “I feel like in the second half we had a lot of things we need to clean up.”
The Knights debuted 10 newcomers, including six transfers: forwards Omar Payne (Jacksonville), Ibrahima Diallo (San Jose State) and Marchelus Avery (New Mexico State) along with guards Shemarri Allen (UMKC), Sellers (Ball State) and DeMarr Langford Jr. (Boston College) and freshmen guards Comeh Emuobor and Nils Machowski.
“I thought we learned a lot about our players,” said coach Johnny Dawkins.
It wasn’t all good news for the Knights as fifth-year senior forward C.J. Walker announced before the game he would miss some time.
“Unfortunately in the last closed-door scrimmage, I suffered a little knee injury,” Walker said in a video posted to the team’s X account. “I don’t know how long yet but the doctor says I’ll be out for a little bit.”
Walker had a season-ending injury four games into last season. He was back and expected to be a critical piece for the Knights in 2023-24.
“My heart goes out to C.J., first and foremost, because I’ve known what he’s gone through the last three years,” said Dawkins. “That’s tough mentally for any person who loves this game. I’m encouraged that it’s not going to be a season-ending injury. That’s a positive and he has to continue to rehab and get himself back together.”
Walker will require surgery, according to Dawkins, and there is no timetable for his return.
FIU was No. 183 in the latest Kenpom.com rankings and one of 10 non-conference opponents that the Knights were favored against this season. The Panthers were coming off their third consecutive losing season (14-18).
UCF opens its first season in the Big 12 and would benefit from a strong showing in its nonconference schedule.
The Knights travel to Coral Gables to take on No. 13 Miami on Friday (ACCX, 7)
Women
UCF 101, BETHUNE-COOKMAN 63
Two words were all UCF coach Sytia Messer used to describe her team before the season: gritty defensively.
“Defense travels, so no matter where we’re at we can always play defense,” Messer said recently.
UCF brought the defense to its season opener, holding Bethune-Cookman to 33% shooting as the Knights cruised to victory Monday night.
It was the first time the Knights scored 100 points in a game since 102 against Troy on Jan. 26, 1998.
UCF trailed by as many as four points early in the first period before taking command by hitting 7 of 10 shots. It extended that lead to as many as 38 points late in the fourth quarter.
Transfer guard Kaitlin Peterson led all scorers with 31 points (26 in the second half), mostly from beyond the 3-point arc (6 of 10). The last UCF player to score 30-plus points was Laila Jewett (34) against Samford on Nov. 26.
Jewett provided an early spark with seven points, three rebounds, an assist and a steal in the first quarter. The junior guard finished with 14 points.
UCF debuted six newcomers, three of whom were in the opening-night starting lineup: Peterson (Indiana) and Timia Ware (LSU) and freshman forward Achol Akot.
Jayla Kelly, a 6-foot-3 transfer from Missouri, added 14 points off the bench, followed by Mya Burns (10) and Ware (9).
The Knights forced 12 turnovers, recorded 7 steals and 4 blocks.
Akot finished with a game-high 14 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 blocks.
This was the first of 10 non-conference games for UCF, which opens Big 12 play at Oklahoma on Dec. 30. The Knights host Anderson on Friday (ESPN+, 6).
Email Matt Murschel at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on Twitter at @osmattmurschel.
