UCF students poured into the Addition Financial Arena about an hour before tipoff, bringing with them an undeniable energy that comes with the anticipation of what they were about to witness.
The student section filled up quickly, prompting the public address announcer to ask the students to pack in tighter to accommodate as many bodies as possible. Even then, it was a standing-room-only crowd, with an announced 10,000 in attendance for Saturday’s game. It was the second-largest home crowd in school history.
UCF was hosting a No. 1 team for just the second time in school history with top-ranked Arizona in town for a crucial Big 12 matchup. The Knights had gotten off to a solid start this season, but the program was seeking its first win in history over a No. 1 team.
A day earlier, UCF coach Johnny Dawkins had called on fans to fill the venue, calling the home crowd the sixth man. It turns out, the fans didn’t disappoint.
Arizona forward Tobe Awaka (30) takes the ball from UCF center Jeremy Foumena (0) during the Arizona at UCF mens college basketball game at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando on Saturday, January 17, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
The UCF band cheers during the Arizona at UCF mens college basketball game at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando on Saturday, January 17, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
UCF center john Bol (7) and Arizona center Mo Kharchenkov (13) tip off during the Arizona at UCF mens college basketball game at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando on Saturday, January 17, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
UCF coach Johnny Dawkins signals during the Arizona at UCF mens college basketball game at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando on Saturday, January 17, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Arizona guard Brayden Burries (5) battles UCF forward Jamichael Stillwell (4) during the Arizona at UCF mens college basketball game at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando on Saturday, January 17, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Arizona center Mo Krivas (13) fights for a rebound with UCF center John Bol (7) during the Arizona at UCF mens college basketball game at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando on Saturday, January 17, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
UCF fans cheeer during the Arizona at UCF mens college basketball game at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando on Saturday, January 17, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Arizona forward Ivan Kharchenkov (8) gets a hand on the shot of UCF guard Riley Kugel (2) during the Arizona at UCF mens college basketball game at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando on Saturday, January 17, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
UCF guard Riley Kugel (2) leaps to grab a defensive rebound during the Arizona at UCF mens college basketball game at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando on Saturday, January 17, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
UCF guard Themus Fulks (1) loses the ball in the lane during the Arizona at UCF mens college basketball game at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando on Saturday, January 17, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
UCF guard Riley Kugel scores during the Arizona at UCF mens college basketball game at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando on Saturday, January 17, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Arizona forward Tobe Awaka (30) finishes a slam dunk during the Arizona at UCF mens college basketball game at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando on Saturday, January 17, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
UCF guard Riley Kugel (2) drives past Arizona guard Anthony Dell’Orso (3) during the Arizona at UCF mens college basketball game at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando on Saturday, January 17, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Arizona forward Tobe Awaka (30) grabs a rebound over UCF forward Jordan Burks (99) during the Arizona at UCF mens college basketball game at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando on Saturday, January 17, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd coaches during the Arizona at UCF mens college basketball game at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando on Saturday, January 17, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
UCF guard Riley Kugel (2) shoots during the Arizona at UCF mens college basketball game at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando on Saturday, January 17, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
UCF forward Jordan Burks (99) drives for a basket in front of Arizona guard Brayden Burries (5) during the Arizona at UCF mens college basketball game at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando on Saturday, January 17, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Arizona center Mo Krivas (13) slam dunks during the Arizona at UCF mens college basketball game at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando on Saturday, January 17, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
UCF guard Themus Fulks (1) shoots between Arizona forwards Ivan Kharchenkov (8) and Tober Awaka (30) during the Arizona at UCF mens college basketball game at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando on Saturday, January 17, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
UCF guard Themus Fulks (1) signals during the Arizona at UCF mens college basketball game at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando on Saturday, January 17, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
UCF guard Themus Fulks (1) drives past Arizona guard Brayden Burries (5) during the Arizona at UCF mens college basketball game at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando on Saturday, January 17, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
UCF center Jeremy Foumena takes a fall during the Arizona at UCF mens college basketball game at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando on Saturday, January 17, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
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Arizona forward Tobe Awaka (30) takes the ball from UCF center Jeremy Foumena (0) during the Arizona at UCF mens college basketball game at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando on Saturday, January 17, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
But despite the raucous crowd and a career-high 30 points by guard Themus Fulks, UCF wasn’t able to pull off the upset, falling to Arizona, 84-77.
UCF (14-3, 3-2 Big 12) remains winless (0-5) against top-ranked teams.
Arizona (18-0, 5-0 Big 12) had five players in double digits, led by Jaden Bradley with 23 points, Brayden Burries with 18 and Motiejus Krivas with 17 plus Ivan Kharchenkov and Tobe Awaka with 10 apiece.
Fulks also had 8 assists while Jordan Burks had 16 points and Riley Kuegel had 12.
“He was terrific in a lot of ways,” Dawkins said. “He scored the ball. He always facilitates, but just his leadership and his understanding of the game. He’s a very heady point guard and he makes really good plays out there on the floor throughout the game.”
“The point of the game is to win the game and we lost the game,” Fulks said. “We didn’t do our job.”.
Fulks’ floater in the paint started off the scoring for the Knights. A few minutes later, fans were on their feet when center John Bol hammered down a dunk for an early UCF lead.
Arizona worked to get the ball inside, using its size to thwart a smaller Knights’ lineup, scoring 8 of its first 11 points in the paint. The Wildcats went on a 19-2 run, building an early 26-11 lead with 10 minutes left in the first half.
UCF struggled from the field, connecting on just 1 of 13 shots during AU’s run.
The Knights snapped their scoreless stretch when Burks stole the ball and drove halfcourt before his shot was knocked off the rim for goaltending and their first points in more than five minutes.
Burks followed it up with a 2-point bucket before knocking down a 3-pointer that got the fans briefly excited. Fulks added a 2-point shot that pulled UCF within single digits of Arizona for the first time in more than six minutes.
Fulks scored 14 of his 16 first-half points in the final six minutes before intermission, helping the Knights pull to 40-38 with 24 seconds left.
The Wildcats were without forward Koa Peat, who picked up two quick fouls and spent most of the first half on the bench. Peat, who finished with a season-low 4 points, is projected to be a top-10 prospect in the NBA draft.
Arizona opened the second half by going on a 6-2 run before Dawkins called a quick timeout.
Fulks kept the Knights in the game, connecting on a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 47-43, and his assist to Kugel for a layup left UCF within 49-45.
Fulks matched his previous career-high of 26 points on a layup and a foul with 13:58 left in the game, pulling the Knights within 2 points.
But as it had throughout the game, Arizona went on a 14-3 run, stretching its advantage to 65-52, its largest lead of the second half.
Fulks set a career-high with a layup with 2:04 left.
“Credit goes to UCF and to coach Dawkins,” said Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd. “It was an amazing environment, a big-time college basketball environment.
“To win on the road in an environment like this against a team that is 14-2 without Koa, who had a couple of tough foul calls early, you hate to see one of your better players get [in foul trouble]. Credit to our team to be able to absorb that.”
Arizona shot 53% from the field while UCF was just under 40%.
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.