2020–21 UCF Knights men's basketball team
University of Central Florida NCAA team
The 2020–21 UCF Knights men's basketball team represented the University of Central Florida during the 2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season . The Knights were members of the American Athletic Conference . The Knights, in the program's 52nd season of basketball, are led by fifth-year head coach Johnny Dawkins and played their home games at the Addition Financial Arena on the university's main campus in Orlando , Florida . They finished the season 11-12, 8-10 in AAC Play to finish in 6th place. They defeated East Carolina in the first round of the AAC tournament before losing in the quarterfinals to Memphis .
Previous season
The Knights finished the 2019–20 season 16–14 overall and 7–11 in AAC play to finish in eighth place. They entered as the No. 8 seed in the AAC tournament , which was ultimately cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Offseason
Departures
^ a b Milon and Ingram were both graduate transfers in the 2019–20 season, with Milon having graduated from William & Mary and Ingram from Alabama .
Incoming transfers
Name
Pos.
Height
Weight
Year
Hometown
Notes
Darius Perry G
6'2" 185
Senior Marietta, GA Transferred from Louisville after graduating. Will have one year of eligibility beginning immediately.[ 3]
C. J. Walker F
6'8" 205
Sophomore Sanford, FA Transferred from Oregon . Walker was granted a waiver for immediate eligibility.[ 4] [ 5]
2020 recruiting class
Preseason
On October 28, The American released the preseason Poll and other preseason awards[ 6]
Coaches Poll
Predicted finish
Team
Votes (1st place)
1
Houston
99 (2)
2
Memphis
90 (2)
3
SMU
80
4
Cincinnati
77
5
South Florida
61
6
Tulsa
50
7
Wichita State
44
8
UCF 37
9
East Carolina
34
10
Temple
18
11
Tulane
15
Roster
2020–21 UCF Knights men's basketball team
Players
Coaches
Pos.
#
Name
Height
Weight
Year
Previous school
Hometown
G 0
Josh Kaplan (W)
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 160 lb (73 kg)
Jr John F. Kennedy High School
Merrick, New York
G 1
Tony Johnson Jr. 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg)
So The Skill Factory
Eufaula, Alabama
G 2
Darius Perry 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg)
Sr Louisville
Marietta, Georgia
F 3
Isaiah Adams 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg)
Fr Paxon School for Advanced Studies
Jacksonville, Florida
F 4
Jamille Reynolds 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 285 lb (129 kg)
Fr Lakewood Senior High School
St. Petersburg, Florida
C 5
Avery Diggs 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 245 lb (111 kg)
Sr SW Mississippi CC
Brandon, Florida
G 10
Levy Renaud (W)
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg)
Jr NSU University School
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
G 11
Xavier Grant (W)
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg)
Jr American Heritage School
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
G 13
Brandon Mahan 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 205 lb (93 kg)
Sr Texas A&M
Birmingham, Alabama
G 15
Isaac Ward 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 185 lb (84 kg)
Fr Tampa Preparatory School
Tampa, Florida
F 20
Sean Mobley 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 235 lb (107 kg)
RS Jr VCU
Orlando, Florida
F 21
C. J. Walker 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 205 lb (93 kg)
So Oregon
Sanford, Florida
G 22
Darin Green Jr. 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 185 lb (84 kg)
So Wharton High School
Charlotte, North Carolina
G 24
Dre Fuller Jr. 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 215 lb (98 kg)
RS So Admiral Farragut Academy
Fayetteville, North Carolina
F 25
Ryan Anders (W)
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 235 lb (107 kg)
Jr Wharton High School
Tampa, Florida
C 33
Moses Bol 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) 230 lb (104 kg)
RS Jr Colby CC
Wau, South Sudan
Head coach Assistant coach(es) Legend (C) Team captain(S) Suspended(I) Ineligible(W) Walk-on Roster
Schedule and results
UCF will start a series with Michigan beginning this season in Ann Arbor, Michigan .[ 7]
COVID-19 impact
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic , the Knights' schedule is subject to change, including the cancellation or postponement of individual games, the cancellation of the entire season, or games played either with minimal fans or without fans in attendance and just essential personnel.
The game vs. Oklahoma scheduled for November 28 was cancelled due to COVID-19 issues.[ 8]
The game @ Tulsa rescheduled for March 2 was moved to Orlando.[ 9]
The game vs. Tulsa originally scheduled for February 6 was moved to Tulsa.[ 10]
Schedule
Date
Rank#
Opponent#
Result
Record
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Site (attendance)
Regular season
November 30, 2020 *7:00 p.m., ESPN+
Auburn W 63–55 1–0
13 – Fuller Jr.
8 – Walker
5 – Fuller Jr.
Addition Financial Arena Orlando, FL
December 6, 2020 *4:00 p.m., BTN
at Michigan
L 58–80 1–1
21 – Mahan
5 – Mahan
3 – Fuller Jr.
Crisler Center Ann Arbor, MI
December 19, 2020 *9:00 p.m., ACCN
at No. 15 Florida State
W 86–74 2–1
32 – Mahan
8 – Adams
4 – Fuller Jr.
Donald L. Tucker Center Tallahassee, FL
December 22, 2020 4:00 p.m., ESPN+
Cincinnati W 75–70 3–1
25 – Mahan
10 – Mahan
3 – Fuller Jr.
Addition Financial Arena Orlando, FL
December 26, 2020 1:00 p.m., ABC
No. 6 Houston Previously scheduled for Dec. 15 L 54–63 3–2
13 – Tied
10 – Fuller Jr.
2 – Tied
Addition Financial Arena (1,476)Orlando, FL
January 2, 2021 7:00 p.m., ESPN+
at South Florida War on I-4 L 61–68 3–3
23 – Perry
8 – Fuller Jr.
6 – Perry
Yuengling Center Tampa, FL
January 14, 2021 12:00 p.m., ESPN+
at Temple
L 55–62 3–4
17 – Green Jr.
10 – Fuller Jr.
7 – Mahan
Liacouras Center Philadelphia, PA
January 17, 2021 2:00 p.m., ESPNU
at No. 11 Houston
L 58–75 3–5
14 – Reynolds
10 – Adams
2 – Tied
Fertitta Center Houston, TX
January 23, 2021 2:00 p.m., ESPNU
SMU L 65–78 3–6
14 – Perry
5 – Tied
7 – Perry
Addition Financial Arena (1,394)Orlando, FL
January 27, 2021 7:00 p.m., ESPN+
East Carolina W 71–64 4–6
18 – Green Jr.
6 – Tied
3 – Tied
Addition Financial Arena (1,407)Orlando, FL
January 30, 2021 4:00 p.m., ESPNU
at Wichita State
L 88–93 OT
4–7
17 – Tied
8 – Reynolds
4 – Adams
Charles Koch Arena Wichita, KS
February 1, 2021 8:00 p.m., ESPN+
at Memphis Previously scheduled for Jan. 5 L 69–96 4–8
15 – Mahan
6 – Mahan
4 – Perry
FedEx Forum Memphis, TN
February 3, 2021 8:00 p.m., ESPN+
at Memphis
L 61–75 4–9
18 – Perry
7 – Tied
5 – Mahan
FedEx Forum (2,284)Memphis, TN
February 6, 2021 6:00 p.m., ESPN2
at Tulsa
W 65–58 5–9
18 – Perry
4 – Fuller Jr.
3 – Mobley
Reynolds Center Tulsa, OK
February 10, 2021 7:00 p.m., ESPN+
Wichita State L 60–61 5–10
27 – Perry
6 – Fuller Jr.
2 – Tied
Addition Financial Arena (1,385)Orlando, FL
February 12, 2021 7:00 pm, ESPN+
Tulane Previously scheduled for Dec. 30 L 49–53 6–10
18 – Green Jr.
8 – Adams
5 – Perry
Addition Financial Arena (1,420)Orlando, FL
February 14, 2021 1:00 p.m., ESPNU
at Cincinnati
L 68–69 6–11
21 – Mahan
10 – Walker
4 – Perry
Fifth Third Arena Cincinnati, OH
February 17, 2021 7:00 p.m., ESPNU
South Florida War on I-4 W 81–65 7–11
18 – Walker
9 – Walker
4 – Perry
Addition Financial Arena (1,764)Orlando, FL
February 20, 2021 2:00 p.m., ESPNU
at Tulane
W 84–81 8–11
26 – Adams
6 – Walker
7 – Perry
Devlin Fieldhouse New Orleans, LA
February 23, 2021 7:00 p.m., ESPNU
at SMU
Postponed due to COVID-19 issues[ 11]
Moody Coliseum University Park, TX
February 27, 2021 4:00 p.m., ESPNU
Temple Cancelled due to COVID-19 issues[ 12]
Addition Financial Arena Orlando, FL
March 2, 2021 7:00 pm, ESPNU
Tulsa Previously scheduled for Jan. 9 W 73–69 9–11
19 – Adams
5 – Tied
3 – Tied
Addition Financial Arena (1,309)Orlando, FL
March 4, 2021 9:00 p.m., ESPNU
at East Carolina
W 64–60 10–11
15 – Adams
11 – Perry
5 – Perry
Williams Arena Greenville, NC
American Athletic Conference tournament
March 11, 2021 7:00 p.m., ESPN2
(6)
vs. (11) East Carolina First Round W 72–62 11–11
15 – Perry
7 – Fuller Jr.
4 – Fuller Jr.
Dickies Arena Fort Worth, TX
March 12, 2021 10:00 p.m., ESPNU
(6)
vs. (3) Memphis Quarterfinals L 62–70 11–12
15 – Perry
11 – Fuller Jr.
5 – Perry
Dickies Arena (826)Fort Worth, TX
*Non-conference game.
# Rankings from
AP Poll . (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in
Eastern Time .
Awards and honors
American Athletic Conference honors
All-AAC Third Team
Brandon Mahan
Darius Perry
All-AAC Freshman Team
Source [ 13]
References
^ Lester, Bryson. "Thunderbirds Add Top-Tier Transfer Yuat Alok" . suutbirds.com . Retrieved April 8, 2020 . ^ Murphy, Brian (March 18, 2020). "Ceasar DeJesus Leaving UCF, Planning to Go Pro" . blackandgoldbanneret.com . SB Nation . Retrieved April 16, 2020 . ^ Evans, Corey [@coreyevans_10] (April 20, 2020). "Louisville grad-transfer Darius Perry just committed to UCF, his father tells RivalsPortal" (Tweet ). Retrieved April 20, 2020 – via Twitter . ^ @JonRothstein (November 23, 2020). "Source: UCF's CJ Walker has received a waiver from the NCAA and is eligible for the 20-21 season. Transfer from Oregon" (Tweet ) – via Twitter . ^ Gershon, Josh (July 6, 2020). "Former five-star Oregon transfer CJ Walker commits to UCF" . 247Sports . Retrieved July 7, 2020 . ^ "Houston Tabbed as 2020-21 American Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Favorite" . theAmerican.org . Retrieved October 28, 2020 .^ "UCF Announces Home-And-Home With Michigan" . ucfknights.com . UCF Athletics. July 16, 2020. Retrieved July 16, 2020 .^ "UCF versus Memphis basketball game postponed due to COVID-19" . orlandosentinel.com . January 5, 2021.^ "The American Announces Men's Basketball Schedule Changes" . theamerican.org . January 27, 2021.^ "The American Announces Men's Basketball Schedule Changes" . theamerican.org . January 27, 2021.^ "The American Announces Men's Basketball Schedule Changes" . theamerican.org . February 18, 2021.^ "Saturday's Temple-UCF Men's Basketball Game Cancelled" . theamerican.org . February 27, 2021.^ "American Athletic Conference Announces Men's Basketball Honors" . theamerican.org . March 10, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2021 .
Venues Rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons
