UCF holds off pesky Tennessee Tech to extend perfect start

Keyshawn Hall led four UCF players in double digits, withstanding a furious second-half rally to outlast Tennessee Tech, 80-69, on Tuesday night.

Hall followed up a season-high 26 points against FAU last week by scoring 20 points, 12 in the second half.

UCF built a 20-point lead early in the second half, but cold shooting helped the Golden Eagles go on a 20-9 run to pull to 65-62 with 7:17 left. The Knights didn’t let it get any closer.

The Knights improved to 4-0 for the first time since the 2021-22 season.

“We beat a good team tonight. I thought we beat a team that’s very difficult to scout as well as defend,” said UCF coach Johnny Dawkins.

“We had multiple chances to increase the lead at one point and we let them back in the game,” said guard Darius Johnson. “Before the game, we said they’re a very dangerous team because they can shoot the 3-ball. So, we didn’t do a great job of covering that.”

This was the fourth meeting between the programs and the win tied the series at 2.

The Knights started strong, hitting on 5 of 7  shots, but could never build more than a 4-point advantage. Tennessee Tech (3-3), meanwhile, kept pace by hitting 5 of 7 to start, going toe-to-toe throughout much of the first half.

Dallan “Deebo” Coleman provided the early spark for the Knights, scoring 10 points through the first 12 minutes, highlighted by a pair of 3-pointers. Hall added 6 early points.

“Deebo was terrific. He gave us a huge lift, especially in the first half, but the entire game with his leadership,” said Dawkins.

But both teams went ice-cold late in the half, with UCF connecting on just 2 of 11 shots in the final five minutes and Tennessee Tech going scoreless during that same stretch.

Jordan Ivy-Curry’s layup and jumper helped the Knights build a 32-21 edge at 4:55. Back-to-back 3s by Johnson and Rokas Jocius pushed it to 38-24.

UCF went on a 19-5 run in the final six minutes to push its lead to 47-32 at the half.

Tennessee Tech went on a 10-0 run midway through the second half to slice the Knights’ lead to single-digits at 55-47 with 12:42 left in the game.

UCF went more than three minutes without a point as the Golden Eagles made their run.

But back-to-back 3s by Johnson and JJ Taylor pushed the Knights’ lead to 15.

Johnson’s 3 pushed him past the 1,000-point threshold. He became the 21st UCF player to reach the mark during his career.

“Accolades like that are hard to do nowadays,” Johnson said of the feat. “With the transfer portal, a lot of people don’t stay at one school for four years. So, to be able to leave my mark on the program and school history is something big.”

“He’s been a part of some really good moments, and he’s leading us again this year,” added Dawkins. “I look at a young man that’s a four-year player in one program. This is probably pretty rare nowadays and that’s just the nature of our sport now.”

Coleman finished with a season-high 14 points, Ivy-Curry had 15 and Taylor added 11.

UCF travels to West Virginia this weekend to participate in the Greenbrier Tip-Off. They’ll play twice, including Sunday vs. LSU or Pittsburgh.

The Knights entered the week having received votes in the Associated Press and Coaches Top 25 polls.

Matt Murschel can be reached at moc.lenitnesodnalro@lehcsrumm

Up next …

UCF vs. No. 19 Wisconsin

When: 5, Friday, Greenbrier Tip-Off in White Sulphur Springs. W. Va.

TV: CBS Sports Network