Feb 21, 2026; Provo, Utah, USA; BYU Cougars ahead AJ Dybantsa (3) reacts through the second half towards the Iowa State Cyclones at Marriott Middle. Obligatory Credit score: Aaron Baker-Imagn Photographs (*23*)The stakes are excessive for each groups when UCF travels to No. 23 BYU for a pivotal Massive 12 Convention showdown on Tuesday in Provo, Utah.
With two straight wins, the Knights have firmed up their place squarely on the NCAA Tournament bubble. UCF (19-7, 8-6 Massive 12) is ranked No. 46 within the NCAA NET. It’s 9-7 in Quadrant 1 and a pair of video games. The Knights are 10-0 in Quad 3 and 4 video games. So whereas UCF would not have any unhealthy losses, it did begin February with a three-game dropping streak.
Consecutive wins, an 82-71 house win over fellow bubble mate TCU on Tuesday was adopted up with a 73-71 nailbiter of a street win at Utah on Saturday. Themus Fulks led the way in which towards the Utes with 24 factors and hit a pair of free throws within the closing seconds for the Knights to escape with a win.
It was a win that saved the Knights’ Quad 3 and 4 sheet clear and it got here with out their co-leading scorer Riley Kugel (14.0 factors per recreation). Kugel was injured late within the TCU recreation. The senior guard had began all 25 video games. Reserve guard Carmelo Pacheco (5.0 factors) was questionable earlier than the Utah recreation however supplied six factors off the bench.
“Riley remains to be day-to-day,” UCF coach Johnny Dawkins stated. “Pacheco did an excellent job of giving us a raise in each halves (towards Utah).”
Conversely, it seems BYU (20-7, 8-6) is contained in the NCAA Tournament lower line. The Cougars are No. 19 within the NET and picked up a invaluable 79-69 house win towards No. 6 Iowa State on Saturday.
But it surely has been an up-and-down month for the Cougars. BYU is simply 3-3 in February and misplaced second-leading scorer Richie Saunders, who averaged 18 factors per recreation and 5.8 rebounds, to a torn ACL on Feb. 14 in a house win over Colorado.
“We have confronted quite a lot of adversity and nobody has blinked,” BYU coach Kevin Younger stated. “They’ve stayed collectively and have saved working.”
In opposition to the Cyclones, the Cougars sprung the upset as AJ Dybantsa stuffed the stat sheet with 29 factors, 10 rebounds and 9 assists. In Saunders absence, Kennard Davis Jr., who averages 7.8 factors per recreation, racked up 17 factors and pitched in 4 rebounds. Mihailo Boskovic (3.5 factors) additionally exceeded his common with 13 factors and 5 rebounds.
The senior from Serbia, Boskovic had simply three begins this season and performed 28 minutes towards Iowa State, effectively above his season common of 12.9.
“I believe there’s loads to be stated for alternative and confidence,” Younger stated. “These guys perceive with Richie out their numbers are going to get referred to as extra. There’s a bit of extra of a deep breath. They do not have to press as a result of they know the ball goes to come to them a bit of extra.
“With Mihailo he is aware of he’s going to play extra minutes, so it is a bit of simpler to get right into a rhythm when you may have that mindset. On the similar time, they get all of the credit score as a result of they’ve stayed prepared they usually have been in a position to ship.”
–Area Stage Media
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