KANSAS

UCF

UCF pulls off an 81-75 win against No. 17 Kansas to earn best start since 2010-11

AP
Jan 03, 2026

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) Riley Kugel had 19 points and a crucial three-point play with less than 10 seconds remaining to lead UCF Knights over No. 17 Kansas Jayhawks 81-75 on Saturday.

Themus Fulks had 16 points and Jordan Burks scored 14 for UCF (12-1, 1-0 Big 12), which is off to its best start since 14-0 in 2010-11.

Kansas (10-4, 0-1) played most of the second half without star guard Darryn Peterson, who scored 23 of his 26 points in the first half. Peterson missed the previous two games with cramps and missed seven prior games with a hamstring injury.

Without him, the Jayhawks struggled to find much offense. He checked out for the final time with the game tied at 59 and 10:55 remaining.

Kansas found itself enough to tie the game with 3:02 to play after a 9-0 run. Burks made a 3-pointer to pull UCF ahead for good.

Melvin Council Jr. had 20 points, and Tre White had 14 points and 11 rebounds for Kansas.

Kansas: Hosts TCU on Tuesday.

UCF: Visits Oklahoma State on Tuesday.

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1st Half
KAN
Jayhawks
41
UCF
Knights
44

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Flory Bidunga vs. John Bol (Knights gains possession)
19:42		Riley Kugel misses three point jump shot
19:40		Themus Fulks offensive rebound
19:36		Themus Fulks misses three point jump shot
19:34		Darryn Peterson defensive rebound
19:30		Riley Kugel blocks Darryn Peterson's two point layup
19:28		Themus Fulks defensive rebound
19:22	+2	Themus Fulks makes two point layup	0-2
18:57	+3	Tre White makes three point jump shot (Darryn Peterson assists)	3-2
18:36		Jamichael Stillwell misses two point jump shot
18:34		Darryn Peterson defensive rebound
18:22		Darryn Peterson turnover (lost ball) (Themus Fulks steals)
18:19		Melvin Council Jr. shooting foul (Jordan Burks draws the foul)
18:19	+1	Jordan Burks makes regular free throw 1 of 2	3-3
18:19	+1	Jordan Burks makes regular free throw 2 of 2	3-4
18:01		Darryn Peterson misses three point jump shot
17:59		Flory Bidunga offensive rebound
17:44		Bryson Tiller misses two point jump shot
17:42		Jayhawks offensive rebound
17:42		Tre White turnover (offensive goaltending)
17:26		Jamichael Stillwell misses two point layup
17:24		Flory Bidunga defensive rebound
17:23		Jamichael Stillwell personal foul
17:09		Riley Kugel shooting foul (Bryson Tiller draws the foul)
17:09	+1	Bryson Tiller makes regular free throw 1 of 2	4-4
17:09	+1	Bryson Tiller makes regular free throw 2 of 2	5-4
16:55	+3	Riley Kugel makes three point jump shot	5-7
16:36		Darryn Peterson misses three point jump shot
16:34		Flory Bidunga offensive rebound
16:29	+2	Flory Bidunga makes two point layup	7-7
16:25		Themus Fulks turnover (bad pass) (Melvin Council Jr. steals)
16:18	+3	Darryn Peterson makes three point jump shot (Melvin Council Jr. assists)	10-7
16:06		Melvin Council Jr. shooting foul (John Bol draws the foul)
16:06	+1	John Bol makes regular free throw 1 of 2	10-8
16:06	+1	John Bol makes regular free throw 2 of 2	10-9
15:59		TV timeout
15:55	+2	Darryn Peterson makes two point jump shot (Flory Bidunga assists)	12-9
15:41		Darryn Peterson blocks Jamichael Stillwell's two point layup
15:39		Knights offensive rebound
15:39	+3	Jordan Burks makes three point jump shot (Riley Kugel assists)	12-12
15:35	+3	Darryn Peterson makes three point jump shot	15-12
15:21		Jamichael Stillwell turnover (bad pass) (Flory Bidunga steals)
15:05		Darryn Peterson misses two point jump shot
15:03		Flory Bidunga offensive rebound
14:51	+3	Darryn Peterson makes three point jump shot (Tre White assists)	18-12
14:31		Jordan Burks misses three point jump shot
14:29		Flory Bidunga defensive rebound
14:09		Tre White misses two point jump shot
14:07		Jamichael Stillwell defensive rebound
13:50		Carmelo Pacheco misses three point jump shot
13:48		Jamichael Stillwell offensive rebound
13:41	+2	Jamichael Stillwell makes two point layup	18-14
13:39		Flory Bidunga shooting foul (Jamichael Stillwell draws the foul)
13:39	+1	Jamichael Stillwell makes regular free throw 1 of 1	18-15
13:18		Bryson Tiller misses three point jump shot
13:16		Tre White offensive rebound
13:12		Jeremy Foumena blocks Tre White's two point layup
13:10		Tre White offensive rebound
12:58	+3	Jamari McDowell makes three point jump shot	21-15
12:46	+2	Themus Fulks makes two point layup	21-17
12:19		Flory Bidunga turnover (bad pass)
12:04		Themus Fulks turnover (out of bounds)
11:48		Kohl Rosario misses three point jump shot
11:46		Tre White offensive rebound
11:41		Elmarko Jackson turnover (lost ball) (Jeremy Foumena steals)
11:42		TV timeout
11:32	+3	Chris Johnson makes three point jump shot	21-20
11:01		Darryn Peterson misses three point jump shot
10:59		Jeremy Foumena defensive rebound
10:24		Jeremy Foumena misses two point jump shot
10:22		Darryn Peterson defensive rebound
10:11		Kohl Rosario misses three point jump shot
10:09		Themus Fulks defensive rebound
9:54		Darryn Peterson blocks Devan Cambridge's two point layup
9:52		Kohl Rosario defensive rebound
9:43		Darryn Peterson turnover (out of bounds)
9:26		Chris Johnson misses three point jump shot
9:23		Jayhawks defensive rebound
9:11	+2	Tre White makes two point jump shot	23-20
8:54		Themus Fulks misses two point jump shot
8:52		Tre White defensive rebound
8:40		Carmelo Pacheco personal foul (Tre White draws the foul)
8:35		Themus Fulks personal foul
8:25		Darryn Peterson misses two point jump shot
8:23		Knights defensive rebound
8:06	+2	Riley Kugel makes two point jump shot	23-22
7:38		Bryson Tiller misses two point layup
7:36		John Bol defensive rebound
7:27		Bryson Tiller personal foul (Riley Kugel draws the foul)
7:27		TV timeout
7:22	+2	Riley Kugel makes two point layup	23-24
6:59		Darryn Peterson turnover (out of bounds)
6:48	+3	Riley Kugel makes three point jump shot	23-27
6:41		Jayhawks 30 second timeout
6:26		Flory Bidunga misses two point jump shot
6:24		Flory Bidunga offensive rebound
6:20	+2	Flory Bidunga makes two point hook shot	25-27
6:01	+2	John Bol makes two point layup (Jamichael Stillwell assists)	25-29
5:49		Bryson Tiller misses two point jump shot
5:47		Jordan Burks defensive rebound
5:39		Riley Kugel misses two point jump shot
5:37		Knights offensive rebound
5:32		Flory Bidunga shooting foul (John Bol draws the foul)
5:32		John Bol misses regular free throw 1 of 2
5:32		John Bol misses regular free throw 2 of 2
5:32		Bryson Tiller defensive rebound
5:22	+2	Darryn Peterson makes two point alley-oop dunk (Jamari McDowell assists)	27-29
5:11	+2	Themus Fulks makes two point layup	27-31
4:58		Darryn Peterson misses two point jump shot
4:56		Riley Kugel defensive rebound
4:43		Riley Kugel misses three point jump shot
4:41		Tre White defensive rebound
4:34		Melvin Council Jr. misses two point jump shot
4:32		Jamichael Stillwell defensive rebound
4:25	+2	Riley Kugel makes two point layup (Jamichael Stillwell assists)	27-33
4:15		Jordan Burks shooting foul (Darryn Peterson draws the foul)
4:15	+1	Darryn Peterson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	28-33
4:15	+1	Darryn Peterson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	29-33
4:03	+3	Jamichael Stillwell makes three point jump shot (Themus Fulks assists)	29-36
3:50	+2	Darryn Peterson makes two point layup (Elmarko Jackson assists)	31-36
3:39		Darryn Peterson shooting foul (Jeremy Foumena draws the foul)
3:39		TV timeout
3:39	+1	Jeremy Foumena makes regular free throw 1 of 2	31-37
3:39		Jeremy Foumena misses regular free throw 2 of 2
3:39		Darryn Peterson defensive rebound
3:38		Riley Kugel personal foul
3:16	+3	Darryn Peterson makes three point jump shot (Jamari McDowell assists)	34-37
2:57		Jordan Burks misses three point jump shot
2:55		Darryn Peterson defensive rebound
2:46	+2	Elmarko Jackson makes two point layup	36-37
2:46		Jeremy Foumena shooting foul (Elmarko Jackson draws the foul)
2:46		Elmarko Jackson misses regular free throw 1 of 1
2:45		Jamichael Stillwell defensive rebound
2:30	+2	Chris Johnson makes two point layup	36-39
2:29		Chris Johnson technical foul
2:29		Darryn Peterson misses technical free throw 1 of 2
2:29	+1	Darryn Peterson makes technical free throw 2 of 2	37-39
2:14		Darryn Peterson misses three point jump shot
2:12		John Bol defensive rebound
1:48		Jamichael Stillwell turnover (traveling)
1:29		Jayhawks turnover (5-second violation)
1:29		Knights 30 second timeout
1:13	+2	Themus Fulks makes two point jump shot	37-41
0:54	+2	Tre White makes two point layup	39-41
0:46		Jamari McDowell personal foul (Themus Fulks draws the foul)
0:45	+1	Themus Fulks makes regular free throw 1 of 2	39-42
0:45		Themus Fulks misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:45		Knights offensive rebound
0:41		Themus Fulks misses two point layup
0:39		Tre White defensive rebound
0:32		Kris Parker personal foul (Darryn Peterson draws the foul)
0:32	+1	Darryn Peterson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	40-42
0:32	+1	Darryn Peterson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	41-42
0:03	+2	Themus Fulks makes two point jump shot	41-44
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
KAN
Jayhawks
34
UCF
Knights
37

Time		Play	Score
19:41		Tre White misses two point layup
19:39		John Bol defensive rebound
19:30		Riley Kugel misses three point jump shot
19:28		Jordan Burks offensive rebound
19:25		Jump ball. Jamichael Stillwell vs. Melvin Council Jr. (Jamichael Stillwell gains possession)
19:14	+2	Themus Fulks makes two point layup	41-46
18:54		Riley Kugel personal foul (Darryn Peterson draws the foul)
18:46		Darryn Peterson misses three point jump shot
18:44		Jordan Burks defensive rebound
18:27	+2	Jamichael Stillwell makes two point layup	41-48
18:12		John Bol shooting foul (Tre White draws the foul)
18:12	+1	Tre White makes regular free throw 1 of 2	42-48
18:12	+1	Tre White makes regular free throw 2 of 2	43-48
17:53		John Bol misses two point layup
17:51		Darryn Peterson defensive rebound
17:38		John Bol shooting foul (Flory Bidunga draws the foul)
17:38		Flory Bidunga misses regular free throw 1 of 2
17:38	+1	Flory Bidunga makes regular free throw 2 of 2	44-48
17:21	+2	John Bol makes two point hook shot (Jordan Burks assists)	44-50
16:51	+2	Melvin Council Jr. makes two point jump shot	46-50
16:36	+2	Riley Kugel makes two point jump shot	46-52
16:20		Tre White misses three point jump shot
16:18		Riley Kugel defensive rebound
16:10		Flory Bidunga blocks Riley Kugel's two point layup
16:08		Tre White defensive rebound
16:01		Tre White turnover (lost ball) (Jamichael Stillwell steals)
15:58		Jordan Burks turnover (bad pass)
15:58		TV timeout
15:33		Tre White misses two point layup
15:31		Jamichael Stillwell defensive rebound
15:17		Jamichael Stillwell misses two point layup
15:15		Tre White defensive rebound
15:09	+2	Melvin Council Jr. makes two point jump shot	48-52
14:38		Chris Johnson misses three point jump shot
14:36		Tre White defensive rebound
14:20	+2	Melvin Council Jr. makes two point layup	50-52
14:20		Jeremy Foumena shooting foul (Melvin Council Jr. draws the foul)
14:20	+1	Melvin Council Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 1	51-52
14:01	+2	Chris Johnson makes two point layup (Themus Fulks assists)	51-54
13:54	+2	Melvin Council Jr. makes two point layup	53-54
13:28		Flory Bidunga blocks Jeremy Foumena's two point hook shot
13:26		Devan Cambridge offensive rebound
13:23	+2	Devan Cambridge makes two point layup	53-56
13:23		Flory Bidunga shooting foul (Devan Cambridge draws the foul)
13:23		Devan Cambridge misses regular free throw 1 of 1
13:23		Bryson Tiller defensive rebound
13:09	+3	Melvin Council Jr. makes three point jump shot	56-56
12:44		Themus Fulks misses two point jump shot
12:42		Bryson Tiller defensive rebound
12:39		Jump ball. Bryson Tiller vs. Themus Fulks (Bryson Tiller gains possession)
12:22		Bryson Tiller misses two point layup
12:20		Devan Cambridge defensive rebound
12:11		Chris Johnson misses three point jump shot
12:09		Devan Cambridge offensive rebound
12:05	+2	Jeremy Foumena makes two point hook shot (Devan Cambridge assists)	56-58
11:47		Tre White misses three point jump shot
11:45		Devan Cambridge defensive rebound
11:34		Devan Cambridge misses three point jump shot
11:32		Jayhawks defensive rebound
11:31		TV timeout
11:13	+3	Darryn Peterson makes three point jump shot (Elmarko Jackson assists)	59-58
10:59		Flory Bidunga blocks Riley Kugel's two point layup
10:57		Devan Cambridge offensive rebound
10:55		Darryn Peterson shooting foul (Devan Cambridge draws the foul)
10:55	+1	Devan Cambridge makes regular free throw 1 of 2	59-59
10:55	+1	Devan Cambridge makes regular free throw 2 of 2	59-60
10:34		Elmarko Jackson misses two point jump shot
10:32		Jeremy Foumena defensive rebound
10:23		Elmarko Jackson shooting foul (Devan Cambridge draws the foul)
10:23	+1	Devan Cambridge makes regular free throw 1 of 2	59-61
10:23	+1	Devan Cambridge makes regular free throw 2 of 2	59-62
9:57		Melvin Council Jr. misses two point jump shot
9:55		Jeremy Foumena defensive rebound
9:52	+3	Jordan Burks makes three point jump shot (Chris Johnson assists)	59-65
9:49		Jayhawks 30 second timeout
9:49		TV timeout
9:24		Melvin Council Jr. misses three point jump shot
9:22		Jayhawks offensive rebound
9:13	+2	Melvin Council Jr. makes two point jump shot (Flory Bidunga assists)	61-65
8:49		Flory Bidunga personal foul
8:42		Devan Cambridge misses three point jump shot
8:40		Flory Bidunga defensive rebound
8:33		Melvin Council Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Devan Cambridge steals)
8:21		Kohl Rosario shooting foul (Jordan Burks draws the foul)
8:21		Jordan Burks misses regular free throw 1 of 2
8:21	+1	Jordan Burks makes regular free throw 2 of 2	61-66
7:55		John Bol shooting foul (Bryson Tiller draws the foul)
7:57		TV timeout
7:55		Bryson Tiller misses regular free throw 1 of 2
7:55		Bryson Tiller misses regular free throw 2 of 2
7:55		Devan Cambridge defensive rebound
7:28		Themus Fulks misses three point jump shot
7:26		Bryson Tiller defensive rebound
7:06		Jamari McDowell misses three point jump shot
7:04		Devan Cambridge defensive rebound
6:52		Riley Kugel misses three point jump shot
6:50		Jayhawks defensive rebound
6:33		Jamari McDowell misses three point jump shot
6:31		Jamichael Stillwell defensive rebound
6:19		Riley Kugel misses three point jump shot
6:17		Kohl Rosario defensive rebound
5:54		Carmelo Pacheco personal foul
5:47		Melvin Council Jr. turnover (bad pass)
5:37		Jamari McDowell personal foul
5:29	+2	Jordan Burks makes two point layup	61-68
5:22		Elmarko Jackson turnover (lost ball)
4:59		Bryson Tiller personal foul (Themus Fulks draws the foul)
4:59	+1	Themus Fulks makes regular free throw 1 of 2	61-69
4:59	+1	Themus Fulks makes regular free throw 2 of 2	61-70
4:49		Tre White misses two point layup
4:49		Flory Bidunga offensive rebound
4:48		Devan Cambridge personal foul (Flory Bidunga draws the foul)
4:48	+1	Flory Bidunga makes regular free throw 1 of 2	62-70
4:48		Flory Bidunga misses regular free throw 2 of 2
4:48		Kohl Rosario offensive rebound
4:34		Tre White turnover (traveling)
4:17		Themus Fulks misses two point layup
4:17		Jayhawks defensive rebound
4:17		Jamichael Stillwell personal foul (Melvin Council Jr. draws the foul)
4:17	+1	Melvin Council Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	63-70
4:17	+1	Melvin Council Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	64-70
4:09		Carmelo Pacheco turnover (bad pass) (Kohl Rosario steals)
4:02	+2	Tre White makes two point layup (Kohl Rosario assists)	66-70
4:02		Tre White personal foul (Jordan Burks draws the foul)
4:02		Jordan Burks misses regular free throw 1 of 1
4:02		Tre White defensive rebound
3:55	+2	Flory Bidunga makes two point layup (Tre White assists)	68-70
3:36		Knights 30 second timeout
3:36		TV timeout
3:24		Themus Fulks misses two point layup
3:22		Themus Fulks offensive rebound
3:19		Themus Fulks misses two point layup
3:17		Flory Bidunga defensive rebound
3:01	+2	Melvin Council Jr. makes two point layup	70-70
2:37		Flory Bidunga blocks Jamichael Stillwell's two point layup
2:35		Riley Kugel offensive rebound
2:28	+2	Riley Kugel makes two point layup	70-72
2:14		Flory Bidunga misses two point layup
2:12		Jamichael Stillwell defensive rebound
1:47		Riley Kugel misses two point jump shot
1:45		John Bol offensive rebound
1:42		Jump ball. John Bol vs. Flory Bidunga (John Bol gains possession)
1:28		Samis Calderon blocks Themus Fulks's two point layup
1:26		Jordan Burks offensive rebound
1:18		Jordan Burks misses three point jump shot
1:16		Melvin Council Jr. defensive rebound
1:12	+2	Melvin Council Jr. makes two point layup	72-72
0:59		Knights 30 second timeout
0:43	+3	Jordan Burks makes three point jump shot (Themus Fulks assists)	72-75
0:40		Jayhawks 30 second timeout
0:31		Tre White misses three point jump shot
0:29		John Bol defensive rebound
0:28		Kohl Rosario personal foul (Themus Fulks draws the foul)
0:28	+1	Themus Fulks makes regular free throw 1 of 2	72-76
0:28		Themus Fulks misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:28		Tre White defensive rebound
0:16		Riley Kugel shooting foul (Tre White draws the foul)
0:16	+1	Tre White makes regular free throw 1 of 3	73-76
0:16	+1	Tre White makes regular free throw 2 of 3	74-76
0:16	+1	Tre White makes regular free throw 3 of 3	75-76
0:16		Knights 60 second timeout
0:09	+2	Riley Kugel makes two point layup (Chris Johnson assists)	75-78
0:09		Melvin Council Jr. shooting foul (Riley Kugel draws the foul)
0:09	+1	Riley Kugel makes regular free throw 1 of 1	75-79
0:07		Jayhawks 60 second timeout
0:03		Tre White misses three point jump shot
0:01		Devan Cambridge defensive rebound
0:01		Kohl Rosario personal foul (Devan Cambridge draws the foul)
0:01	+1	Devan Cambridge makes regular free throw 1 of 2	75-80
0:01	+1	Devan Cambridge makes regular free throw 2 of 2	75-81
0:00		End of period

+ 1

Devan Cambridge makes regular free throw 2 of 2