The classic letdown game for BYU just happened. Playing at home against a desperate UCF team, BYU looked awful—and that is putting it lightly.

UCF Stormed Out Of The Gates

The Knights never let BYU catch their breath in this game. They blitzed BYU, and four minutes into the game, it was already 14–4. It wouldn’t get better from there. In fact, it would get far worse for BYU.

The Cougars couldn’t hit a shot to save their lives. That doesn’t help when your opponent is on fire. The Knights shot 56% from the field and an absurd 58% from three, hitting 14–24. UCF was led by senior guard Themus Fulks, who finished with 24 points and served up 11 assists.

Feb 24, 2026; Provo, Utah, USA; UCF Knights guard Themus Fulks (1) controls the ball during the second half against the BYU Cougars at Marriott Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Baker-Imagn Images

Those 11 assists are the same number that BYU had as a team all game!

Another key piece for the Knights was junior forward Jordan Burks. He also contributed 24 points and snagged six rebounds.

The Knights ended the first half with a 52–28 lead, which essentially put the game to bed at halftime.

The second half, much like the first, wasn’t really close. UCF was able to stretch its lead to 36 at one point.

Feb 24, 2026; Provo, Utah, USA; UCF Knights center John Bol (7) dunks during the second half against the BYU Cougars at Marriott Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Baker-Imagn Images

BYU was able to make a slight comeback, but the game was well in hand. The final result was 97–84 UCF win, which didn’t accurately reflect the beatdown they put on BYU.

The Cougars seem to be able to go only as far as lottery pick AJ Dybantsa will take them.

Feb 24, 2026; Provo, Utah, USA; BYU Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa (3) drives to the basket during the first half against the UCF Knights at Marriott Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Baker-Imagn Images

The superstar freshman tacked on 29 points and eight rebounds—clearly not enough on a night when the opponent couldn’t miss.

The Cougars’ sophomore guard Robert Wright did his part with 20 points, seven assists, and four rebounds.

Where Will This Put UCF On The Bracket?

Currently, the Knights are projected to be either an eighth or ninth seed. That will obviously change after this result, but by how much is the question.

The utter domination that they showed clearly demonstrates that they are a tournament team. Losses against West Virginia and Oklahoma State certainly hurt, but the outlook is promising.

Time will tell how much this win over BYU will change UCF’s seed.

End Of My UCF Rant

The Knights definitely strengthened their résumé with this win. UCF looks to finish the season strong, with three unranked conference games remaining.