Jordan Burks netted 16 of his game-high 23 points in the first half and had seven rebounds, helping UCF topple TCU 82-71 on Tuesday night in Orlando, Fla.
The Knights (18-7, 7-6 Big 12) produced a 14-point halftime advantage and kept the double-digit lead throughout most of the second half to break a three-game losing streak.
Themus Fulks posted 14 points, seven assists and two steals, and reserve George Beale Jr. gave the Knights a spark by scoring 11 points and making three of his four deep shots.
Micah Robinson totaled 20 points and nine rebounds as the Horned Frogs (16-10, 6-7) lost for the first time in four outings. David Punch had 14 points, while Xavier Edmonds notched 12 points, 10 rebounds, three steals and a block.
Jayden Pierre and Tanner Toolson had 10 points apiece.
Entering the matchup tied with TCU for eighth in the conference, UCF streaked out to a 9-2 lead as Burks notched seven points by making 3 of 5 shots with one 3-pointer. After an 8-2 run by the Horned Frogs brought it to one point, the Knights crept away as Jeremy Foumena’s slam at 12:21 made it 18-12.
UCF increased the advantage to 24-14 by connecting on five straight field goals while TCU missed eight of nine shots and posted five turnovers with just over nine minutes left.
With Punch saddled with two fouls and on the bench, TCU trailed 31-20 with five minutes remaining in the half. UCF’s biggest lead was 15 points late in the half, and the hosts held a 42-28 advantage at the break.
In the first 1:11 of the second half, Robinson sank a trey and added a free throw to trim it to 42-32, but Jamichael Stillwell’s reverse layup and Riley Kugel’s two from the stripe reestablished the 14-point lead. Burks’ fifth deep ball made it 49-34 at 16:43.
Devan Cambridge and Toolson traded dunks as UCF led 60-46 at the 11:30 mark, and Beale’s third 3-ball made it 65-46. However, a 9-0 run by TCU made it 65-55 with seven minutes left.
But UCF kept the lead in double digits until the final minute and rolled on to its streak-breaking victory.
