2025–26 UCF Knights men's basketball team

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The 2025–26 UCF Knights men's basketball team represented the University of Central Florida during the 2025–26 NCAA Division I men's basketball season, marking their third season as members of the Big 12 Conference. The Knights, in the program's 57th season of basketball, were led by tenth-year head coach Johnny Dawkins and played their home games at the Addition Financial Arena.

ConferenceBig 12 Conference
Record21–12 (9–9 Big 12)
Headcoach
Assistant coaches
  • Robbie Laing (10th season)
  • Tyson Waterman (3rd season)
  • Adam Hood (2nd season)
  • Dwayne Anderson II (1st season)
Quick facts UCF Knights men's basketball, NCAA tournament, First round ...
2025–26 UCF Knights men's basketball
NCAA tournament, First round
ConferenceBig 12 Conference
Record21–12 (9–9 Big 12)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
  • Robbie Laing (10th season)
  • Tyson Waterman (3rd season)
  • Adam Hood (2nd season)
  • Dwayne Anderson II (1st season)
Home arenaAddition Financial Arena
Seasons
← 2024–25
2026–27 →
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More information Conf., Overall ...
2025–26 Big 12 men's basketball standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L PCTW L PCT
No. 3 Arizona †16–2 .88936–3  .923
No. 7 Houston14–4 .77830–7  .811
No. 20 Kansas12–6 .66724–11  .686
No. 21 Texas Tech12–6 .66723–11  .676
No. 8 Iowa State12–6 .66729–8  .784
TCU11–7 .61123–12  .657
West Virginia9–9 .50021–14  .600
UCF9–9 .50021–12  .636
Cincinnati9–9 .50018–15  .545
BYU9–9 .50023–12  .657
Colorado7–11 .38917–16  .515
Arizona State7–11 .38917–16  .515
Baylor6–12 .33317–17  .500
Oklahoma State6–12 .33320–15  .571
Kansas State3–15 .16712–20  .375
Utah2–16 .11110–22  .313
† 2026 Big 12 tournament winner
Rankings from AP poll
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Previous season

The Knights finished the 2024–25 season 20–17, 7–13 in Big 12 Play to finish in a tie for 13th place. They defeated Utah in the First Round of the Big 12 Tournament, 87−72.[1] They lost in overtime of the second round to Kansas, 98–94.[2]

The Knights were invited to play in inaugural College Basketball Crown, a single-elimination, fully-bracketed men's college basketball postseason tournament featuring sixteen National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I teams not selected to participate in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.[3][4]

In their first round game, they defeated Oregon State in their first round game, 76–75.[5] They defeated fellow Big 12 Conference opponent Cincinnati in their quarterfinals game, 88–80 to reach the semifinals.[6] In their semifinal matchup, the Knights defeated Villanova, 104–98 in overtime.[7] In the championship game, they ended up losing 77−66 to Nebraska.[8]

Preseason

The Big 12 preseason coaches poll was released on October 16, 2025. All awards were voted on by the league's 16 head coaches, who could not vote for their own team or players. The Big 12 preseason media poll was released on October 30, 2025.

More information Big 12 Coaches, Points ...
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Roster

More information Players, Coaches ...
2025–26 UCF Knights men's basketball team
PlayersCoaches
Pos.#NameHeightWeightYearPrevious schoolHometown
C 0 Jeremy Foumena 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)250 lb (113 kg) RS JrMississippi State Montreal, Québec, Canada
G 1 Themus Fulks 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)185 lb (84 kg) GSMilwaukee Winston-Salem, North Carolina
G 2 Riley Kugel 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)1210 lb (549 kg) SrMississippi State Orlando, Florida
G 3 George Beale Jr. 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)200 lb (91 kg) SrHampton Suffolk, Virginia
F 4 Jamichael Stillwell 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)245 lb (111 kg) SrMilwaukee Atlanta, Georgia
G 5 Kris Parker 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)200 lb (91 kg) RS SoVillanova Tallahassee, Florida
C 7 John Bol 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m)210 lb (95 kg) SoOle Miss Boma, South Sudan
C 9 Elijah Hulsewe 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)270 lb (122 kg) RS JrBethune–Cookman Orlando, Florida
G 11 Carmelo Pacheco 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)190 lb (86 kg) JrMount St. Mary's Harrisonburg, Virginia
G 22 Chris Johnson 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)195 lb (88 kg) JrStephen F. Austin Houston, Texas
G 24 Zach Johnson 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)195 lb (88 kg) FrIV Greatness Academy Southern Pines, North Carolina
G 24 Tanner Jones 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)190 lb (86 kg) FrIMG Academy (FL) Memphis, Tennessee
G 33 Poohpha Warakulnukroh 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m)177 lb (80 kg) RS SrMontverde Academy Bangkok, Thailand
F 35 Devan Cambridge 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)210 lb (95 kg) GSTexas Tech Nashville, Tennessee
F 99 Jordan Burks 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)205 lb (93 kg) JrGeorgetown Decatur, Alabama
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster
Last update: October 24, 2025

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Schedule and results

More information Date time, TV, Rank# ...
Date
time, TV		 Rank# Opponent# Result Record High points High rebounds High assists Site (attendance)
city, state
Exhibition
October 21, 2025*
7:00 p.m., ESPN+		 at No. 6 Duke
Brotherhood Run		 L 71–96 
 22 – Kugel  7 – Kugel  4 – Fulks  Cameron Indoor Stadium (9,314)
Durham, NC
October 26, 2025*
12:00 p.m., ESPN+		 LSU L 68–75 
 21 – Kugel  7 – Stillwell  7 – Kugel  Addition Financial Arena (5,409)
Orlando, FL
Non-conference regular season
November 3, 2025*
8:00 p.m., ESPN+		 Hofstra W 82–78  1–0
  19 – Kugel  7 – Burks  8 – Fulks  Addition Financial Arena (6,029)
Orlando, FL
November 8, 2025*
4:00 p.m., ESPN+		 Vanderbilt L 93–105  1–1
  25 – Kugel  6 – Cambridge  4 – Fulks  Addition Financial Arena (6,018)
Orlando, FL
November 11, 2025*
7:00 p.m., ESPN+		 Florida A&M W 97–60  2–1
  19 – Pacheco  7 – Burks  6 – Fulks  Addition Financial Arena (5,577)
Orlando, FL
November 14, 2025*
8:00 p.m., SECN+		 at Texas A&M W 86–74  3–1
  21 – Burks  9 – Stillwell  9 – Fulks  Reed Arena (9,099)
College Station, TX
November 17, 2025*
7:00 p.m., ESPN+		 Oakland W 87–83  4–1
  20 – Stillwell  13 – Stillwell  10 – Fulks  Addition Financial Arena (5,559)
Orlando, FL
November 20, 2025*
7:00 p.m., ESPN2		 vs. Pittsburgh
Legends Classic		 W 77–67  5–1
  18 – Tied  18 – Stillwell  4 – Tied  Ocean Center (1,006)
Daytona Beach, FL
November 25, 2025*
7:00 p.m., ESPN+		 Quinnipiac W 102–91  6–1
  18 – Foumena  7 – Tied  13 – Fulks  Addition Financial Arena (5,173)
Orlando, FL
November 29, 2025*
1:00 p.m., ESPN+		 VMI W 82–57  7–1
  21 – Stillwell  14 – Stillwell  5 – Tied  Addition Financial Arena (4,905)
Orlando, FL
December 7, 2025*
4:00 p.m., ESPN+		 Towson W 86–61  8–1
  20 – Fulks  6 – Stillwell  8 – Fulks  Addition Financial Arena (5,346)
Orlando, FL
December 17, 2025*
7:00 p.m., ESPN+		 Mercer W 81–63  9–1
  17 – Burks  10 – Stillwell  3 – Tied  Addition Financial Arena (5,195)
Orlando, FL
December 20, 2025*
5:00 p.m., ESPN+		 Florida Gulf Coast W 102–80  10–1
  23 – Burks  13 – Stillwell  5 – Fulks  Addition Financial Arena (5,481)
Orlando, FL
December 23, 2025*
2:00 p.m., ESPN+		 vs. Florida Atlantic W 85–80  11–1
  24 – Fulks  11 – Bol  12 – Fulks  ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex (1,057)
Lake Buena Vista, FL
Big 12 regular season
January 3, 2026
2:00 p.m., Peacock		 No. 17 Kansas W 81–75  12–1
(1–0)		  19 – Kugel  8 – Cambridge  3 – Fulks  Addition Financial Arena (8,808)
Orlando, FL
January 6, 2026
8:00 p.m., ESPN+		 No. 25 at Oklahoma State L 76–87  12–2
(1–1)		  15 – Kugel  11 – Cambridge  4 – Tied  Gallagher-Iba Arena (5,057)
Stillwater, OK
January 11, 2026
5:00 p.m., ESPN2		 No. 25 Cincinnati W 73–72  13–2
(2–1)		  19 – Kugel  8 – Foumena  12 – Fulks  Addition Financial Arena (7,899)
Orlando, FL
January 14, 2026
8:00 p.m., Peacock		 at Kansas State W 81–73  14–2
(3–1)		  19 – Kugel  19 – Tied  12 – Fulks  Bramlage Coliseum (7,033)
Manhattan, KS
January 17, 2026
4:00 p.m., ESPN		 No. 1 Arizona L 77–84  14–3
(3–2)		  30 – Fulks  6 – Tied  8 – Fulks  Addition Financial Arena (10,000)
Orlando, FL
January 20, 2026
8:00 p.m., CBSSN		 at No. 9 Iowa State L 57–87  14–4
(3–3)		  15 – Tied  7 – Burks  5 – Fulks  Hilton Coliseum (14,267)
Ames, IA
January 24, 2026
3:00 p.m., ESPN+		 at Colorado W 95–86  15–4
(4–3)		  22 – Kugel  10 – Bol  8 – Fulks  CU Events Center (6,528)
Boulder, CO
January 27, 2026
4:00 p.m., ESPN+		 Arizona State W 79–76  16–4
(5–3)		  17 – Kugel  10 – Bol  6 – Fulks  Addition Financial Arena (6,621)
Orlando, FL
January 31, 2026
12:00 p.m., ESPN2		 No. 11 Texas Tech W 88–79  17–4
(6–3)		  21 – Fulks  10 – Tied  7 – Fulks  Addition Financial Arena (8,511)
Orlando, FL
February 4, 2026
7:00 p.m., FS1		 at No. 8 Houston L 55–79  17–5
(6–4)		  9 – Kugel  7 – Bol  6 – Stillwell  Fertitta Center (7,035)
Houston, TX
February 8, 2026
2:00 p.m., CBSSN		 at Cincinnati L 72–92  17–6
(6–5)		  16 – Johnson  9 – Stillwell  6 – Johnson  Fifth Third Arena (9,969)
Cincinnati, OH
February 14, 2026
6:00 p.m., FS1		 West Virginia L 67–74  17–7
(6–6)		  19 – Fulks  8 – Burks  7 – Folks  Addition Financial Arena (8,081)
Orlando, FL
February 17, 2026
7:00 p.m., ESPN+		 TCU W 82–71  18–7
(7–6)		  23 – Burks  7 – Burks  6 – Fulks  Addition Financial Arena (6,990)
Orlando, FL
February 21, 2026
9:00 p.m., ESPN+		 at Utah W 73–71  19–7
(8–6)		  24 – Fulks  6 – Bol  5 – Johnson  Jon M. Huntsman Center (7,686)
Salt Lake City, UT
February 24, 2026
11:00 p.m., ESPN2		 at No. 19 BYU W 97–84  20–7
(9–6)		  24 – Tied  12 – Stillwell  11 – Fulks  Marriott Center (18,062)
Provo, UT
February 28, 2026
7:00 p.m., FS1		 Baylor L 86–87  20–8
(9–7)		  26 – Kugel  7 – Bol  10 – Fulks  Addition Financial Arena (8,735)
Orlando, FL
March 3, 2026
7:00 p.m., ESPN+		 Oklahoma State L 104–111 OT 20–9
(9–8)		  22 – Fulks  9 – Tied  6 – Fulks  Addition Financial Arena (8,011)
Orlando, FL
March 6, 2026
8:00 p.m., CBSSN		 at West Virginia L 62–77  20–10
(9–9)		  16 – Tied  9 – Burks  4 – Fulks  WVU Coliseum (11,312)
Morgantown, WV
Big 12 tournament
March 11, 2026
3:00 p.m., ESPNU		 (8) vs. (9) Cincinnati
Second round		 W 66–65 OT 21–10
  18 – Stillwell  16 – Stillwell  7 – Fulks  T-Mobile Center (12,477)
Kansas City, MO
March 11, 2026
3:00 p.m., ESPN		 (8) vs. (1) No. 2 Arizona
Quarterfinal		 L 57–78  21–11
  14 – Fulks  11 – Stillwell  5 – Stilwell  T-Mobile Center (14,745)
Kansas City, MO
NCAA Tournament
March 20, 2026
7:25 p.m., TBS		 (10 E) vs. (7 E) UCLA
First round		 L 71–75  21–12
  22 – Burks  13 – Stillwell  8 – Fulks  Xfinity Mobile Arena (19,636)
Philadelphia, PA
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
E=East.
All times are in Eastern Time.
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Rankings

See also: 2025–26 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings
More information Week, Poll ...
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes
Week
PollPre12345678910111213141516171819Final
AP———————RVRV*25RVRV—RV——RVRV———
Coaches—————————RVRVRV—RV———RV——RV
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*AP did not release a week 8 poll.

References

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