UCF plays the first of two Thanksgiving week games when it hosts Quinnipiac on Tuesday night in Orlando, Fla.
The opponents have one thing in common: They each toppled Pitt within the last six days.
The Knights (5-1) took down the ACC outfit 77-67 in the Legends Classic on Thursday in Daytona Beach, Fla., getting strong outings from Riley Kugel, Themus Fulks and Jamichael Stillwell.
Kugel, who tops UCF at 18.0 points per game, had that exact output in the win while Fulks matched Kugel’s offense. Jamichael Stillwell, a transfer from Milwaukee like Fulks, notched 12 points and 11 rebounds.
UCF made 32 of 61 field goals (52.5%) and held Pitt to 38.9%. The Knights also won the rebound margin by nine.
“I know it’s a process, we have to take it one game at a time,” Knights coach Johnny Dawkins said after his team won its fourth straight. “This game is really good for us, but we have to think about what’s coming next for us how we have to approach it.”
Three days later in the Steel City, the host Panthers lost 83-75 to Quinnipiac (4-2) as the Connecticut school won for the first time against an ACC foe — and for the first time against a Power Five team since December 2014.
The visitors built a 10-point halftime lead and held on for the momentous triumph by getting a game-best 25 points from Amarri Monroe and a career-high night from Grant Randall with 15 points.
Coach Tom Pecora heaped praise on Monroe, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference’s reigning Player of the Year, who decided to stay with the Bobcats instead of leaving for a lucrative deal.
“He’s turned down opportunities … to stay at a special place like Quinnipiac,” Pecora said. “It’s a feel-good story in this madness that is college basketball.
“A young man like this who says, ‘Coach, I’m going to make money playing basketball. I don’t need to make it all right now. I want to be happy. … instead of just being a gun for hire.'”
The 6-foot-7 Monroe leads the Bobcats with 15.8 points per game. Jaden Zimmerman averages 14.0 points and Keith McKnight nets 12.2 points per game.
