When Jamichael Stillwell began his basketball career, all the 6-foot-8, 245-pound UCF forward knew how to do was rebound and defend.

Stillwell quickly developed his shooting touch and, throughout much of his career, he was a double-double machine, averaging 13 points and 10.7 rebounds per game at Milwaukee last season.

The junior recorded his first double-double of the season, scoring 20 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Knights to an 87-83 win over visiting Oakland Monday night at Addition Financial Arena.

It was Stillwell’s 17th career double-double and his 20th game with double-digits in rebounds.

“I was just very aggressive,” said Stillwell. “This game was personal to me. They kicked us out of the [NCAA] tournament last year, so I came in with an aggressive mindset.”

Oakland defeated Milwaukee in the first round of the Horizon League conference tournament last season.

UCF (4-1) is coming off an impressive 86-74 win at Texas A&M on Saturday, giving the Knights the two-game sweep in the series after beating the Aggies, 64-61, the previous season.

“I’m very proud of our guys. We beat a really good basketball team, a team that’s been challenged already in the preseason,” said coach Johnny Dawkins. “They’ve already played Purdue, Houston and Michigan, so we knew going into this game, it was going to be tough and we’re going to compete for 40 minutes.”

UCF generated a 10-2 run to start the game as Oakland went cold from the field, missing nine of its first 10 shot attempts. But the Golden Grizzlies tied the game on a pair of 3-pointers by Brett White II.

The Knights went through a 3-minute scoreless stretch before a pair of Burks’ free throws helped the team retake the lead at 12-10. That was followed up by a 3-pointer from Stillwell, snapping a more-than-6-minute stretch when UCF went without a field goal.

Riley Kugel hit a milestone moment in the first half when the senior guard connected on a pair of free throws with 7:48 left in the half, giving him 1,000 career points.

UCF stayed out in front but couldn’t build more than a 9-point lead at 32-23 with 5:17 left in the first.

Things became a bit contentious late in the half as Kugel was called for a technical foul after taunting a defender following a 3-pointer. Less than a minute later, Oakland’s Isaac Garrett was assessed a technical foul after he connected on a 3-pointer. Officials then assessed Stillwell a technical after scoring on a basket less than a minute later.

UCF held a 44-40 halftime advantage, shooting just 20% over the final two minutes.

A 9-2 run pushed the lead to 11 points at 53-42 as the Knights built a double-digit advantage, but it didn’t last as Oakland went on a 20-8 run over 6 minutes to tie the game at 70.

The Golden Grizzlies took their first lead since a 2-0 start at 74-72 with 6:57 left.

But a 3-pointer by Burks, a layup by Themus Fulks and a Stillwell bucket helped the Knights retake the lead at 79-74.

Stillwell led four Knights in double figures, with Kugel scoring 18 points, Burks 13 and Fulks 11.

Oakland (1-4) had four players in double figures, led by Garrett’s 23 points and Brody Robinson’s 20.

Please find me on X, Bluesky or Instagram @osmattmurschel. Email: mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com. Sign up for the Sentinel’s Knights Weekly newsletter for a roundup of all our UCF coverage.