UCF Knights Return to NCAA Tournament

0:00On March 17th, the University of Central Florida nights are back in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in seven years, their sixth trip overall. Since joining Division I, they've earned a ten seed after a strong season in their new Big 12 conference home. Their early appearances came in 1994, 96, 2004, and 2005, all the automatic bids under Coach Kirk, Sparrow. Those teams showed grit with winning streaks and standout scores, but losses to top seeds like Purdue and Yukon kept them from advancing. Then in 2019, under Johnny Dawkins, UCF broke through for their first ever tournament win, upsetting VCU before a heartbreaker against Duke. That squad set records and shooting and rebounding, fueled by big men and sharp guards. Sparrow's legacy paved the way with back-to-back conference titles, while Dawkins brought at large status and that historic victory. Fans still celebrate those milestones, from free throw feeds to defensive stands.

1:01This time, the nights face seven seed UCLA on Friday at 7.25pm in Philadelphia, aiming to build on their past and chase a deeper run. Made in AI.