UCF Advances with Strong Performance, Sets Up Clash Against Kansas
Keyshawn Hall powered the UCF Knights to an impressive 87-72 victory over Utah in the opening round of the Big 12 Tournament on Tuesday, delivering a standout performance with 23 points, including 17 crucial points in the second half. Hall, the Big 12’s leading scorer this season, was highly efficient at the free-throw line, connecting on 12 of his 14 attempts.
Joining Hall’s offensive explosion, Darius Johnson contributed significantly with 20 points, while Jordan Ivy-Curry added 15 points. Moustapha Thiam played a pivotal role inside, securing a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. With this victory, the 14th-seeded Knights (17-15) advance to face a tough matchup against No. 6 seed Kansas in the tournament’s second round on Wednesday.
Utah, seeded 11th and finishing the season with a balanced 16-16 record, received a commendable effort from Keanu Dawes, who led the team with a dominant 21 points and 15 rebounds. Lawson Lovering and Gabe Madsen also chipped in, scoring 11 and 10 points, respectively, but the Utes could not overcome UCF’s powerful offensive surge.
Colorado Edges Out TCU 69-67
In a thrilling matchup, Andrej Jakimovski’s second-half brilliance carried 16th-seeded Colorado past 9th-seeded TCU in a 69-67 nail-biter. Jakimovski scored 16 of his total 18 points after halftime, providing key buckets during critical moments. Julian Hammond III was instrumental as well, scoring 16 points for Colorado, who will next meet No. 8 seed West Virginia.
TCU fought hard, nearly erasing a 14-point second-half deficit. Noah Reynolds was instrumental in the comeback effort, scoring all 17 of his points in the second half, with Trazarien White adding 13 points. Ultimately, Colorado’s late-game composure at the free-throw line secured the upset victory.
Cincinnati Dominates Oklahoma State, 87-68
Dillon Mitchell delivered a commanding performance with 18 points and a career-high 15 rebounds as 13th-seeded Cincinnati cruised past 12th-seeded Oklahoma State, 87-68. Day Day Thomas exploded offensively, notching a season-best 21 points, while Josh Reed also set a career-best with 19 points.
Cincinnati’s stifling defense was key, forcing Oklahoma State into a season-worst 24 turnovers. Connor Dow led Oklahoma State’s scoring with 12 points, hitting an impressive 4-of-5 from beyond the three-point line. Cincinnati now moves forward to a second-round matchup against 5th-seeded Iowa State.
Kansas State Outlasts Arizona State, 71-66
Coleman Hawkins erupted for a season-high 26 points to propel 10th-seeded Kansas State to a tightly contested 71-66 victory over a shorthanded Arizona State squad. Despite limited contributions from leading scorer David N’Guessan due to foul trouble, Dug McDaniel stepped up notably in the second half, scoring 12 of his 14 points.
Max Jones and Brendan Hausen also provided valuable scoring with 10 points each, enabling Kansas State to hold off a late Arizona State rally. The Sun Devils, down to just seven scholarship players, showcased resilience, led by Alston Mason’s 17 points. Joson Sanon and Basheer Jihad both added 13, and Shawn Phillips Jr. scored 11 points. Kansas State advances to face No. 7 seed Baylor next.
