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The UCF Knights had a good 2023-24 season in its first year in the Big 12 Conference, securing an invite to the 2024 National Invitation Tournament despite finishing the regular season with an inferior record.
The 2024-25 college basketball season marks Johnny Dawkins' ninth year as the team's coach as he looks to guide the Black and Gold to its first NCAA Tournament since 2019.
Here's an inside look into the Knights' upcoming campaign from their biggest games to the key players to watch out for this season.
UCF's biggest games of the 2024-25 season
UCF opens its 2024-25 season with a non-conference meeting with Texas A&M on Nov. 4. The game marks the first installment of the home-and-home series of both teams, with part two taking place at the Aggies' homecourt, the College Station, next year.
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The Buzz Williams-coached Texas A&M is coming off back-to-back NCAA Tournament berths and was close to making the Sweet 16 last season, losing to Houston in overtime in the second round.
The Black and Gold heads to West Virginia to face NCAA Tournament qualifier Wisconsin on Nov. 22 in the Greenbrier Tip-off. It will be the second time both teams square off, with the Badgers winning the first in 1971.
UCF faces Pittsburgh or LSU in the second day of the event on Nov. 24. The Knights will play 20 games against Big 12 foes in the regular season. They meet Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas, Oklahoma State and TCU twice this season in a home-and-away basis.
The Black and Gold face BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, Kansas State and Utah at home and visit Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, Texas Tech and West Virginia.
Top UCF players to watch out for in the 2024-25 season
UCF coach Johnny Dawkins had a busy offseason, building a team around returning stars Jaylin Sellers and Darius Johnson. He notably acquired highly touted guards Dior Johnson and Mikey Williams from the transfer portal and secured the commitment of seven-foot-two freshman center Moustapha Thiam.
Here are three UCF players to watch out for this coming season:
#1 Jaylin Sellers
Jaylin Sellers made his transfer from Ball State to UCF worth remembering last season, averaging 15.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game. The six-foot-four guard led the offense, shooting 41.9% from the field and 82.9% from the free-throw line.
Sellers is set for an encore this coming season but will have a lot of help this time, with transfers Mikey Williams and Dior Johnson set to play as well for the Knights, albeit on a limited basis.
#2 Darius Johnson
Darius Johnson will play for his fourth season with UCF and is coming off a banner year. He appeared in 33 games and tallied 15.2 points, 3.7 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 2.2 steals per contest.
The six-foot-one Johnson improved on his 3-point shooting, making 39.4% of his attempts and buried 2.2 each game. He will be one of the leaders of this talented UCF backcourt that's expected to make some surprises in the Big 12.
#3 Jordan Ivy-Curry
Jordan Ivy-Curry is coming off his best season with UTSA before transferring to UCF this year.
Although he played only 21 games for the Roadrunners, Ivy-Curry stood out as one of the top offensive weapons, tallying 17.1 points per game on 40.1% shooting from the field, including 38.7% from the 3-point line.
The six-foot-three guard hauled down 5.2 rebounds and dished off 3.0 assists per contest while playing off the bench for UTSA this past season. He's expected to reprise his role as the sixth man for UCF, especially now that the Knights put every team in the Big 12 on notice due to their good performances last year.
Predictions for UCF's 2024-25 season
The UCF Knights come into the new season determined to make some noise in the formidable Big 12 Conference. Johnny Dawkins' roster upgrades were great enough to put them as one of the darkhorse teams in the conference.
Hopes are also high for combo guards Dior Johnson and Mikey Williams, who are looking to contribute in the deep UCF squad in its 2024-25 NCAA men's basketball campaign.
Will UCF contend in the Big 12 Conference this season? Let's know your views in the comments section:
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