As the Grizzlies tried to close the gap, the Knights continued to stay hot offensively, shooting 10-of-14 from the field and 3-of-5 from deep by the 12-minute media timeout to build a 67-53 lead.
While the Black and Gold had built a large cushion, momentum dramatically shifted midway through the second half, as UCF hit a cold spell on both ends. Oakland took full advantage, going on a 15-0 run while the Knights went nearly three minutes without a basket, tying the game at 70.
A clutch three from Kugel briefly halted the slide, but Oakland quickly responded with two free throws and a layup to take their first lead since the opening tip, 74-73, with under seven minutes remaining.
In line with the back-and-forth contest, a slam-down dunk from John Bol put the Knights ahead, 81-77, with under three minutes remaining. Yet, the Grizzlies proved resilient, battling back to cut the deficit to a single point, 81-80, with 1:50 on the clock.
Wide open paint for a @JohnBol_7 flush 💥 pic.twitter.com/krWpkWTvsA
— UCF Men’s Hoops 🌴 (@UCF_MBB) November 18, 2025