Kansas Basketball Bounces Back with Gritty Win Over UCF
![Jan 28, 2025; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self gestures to players against the UCF Knights during the first half at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images Jan 28, 2025; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self gestures to players against the UCF Knights during the first half at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_7282,h_4096,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/blue_wings_rising/01jjr2p4ndrrxqh9x378.jpg)
Kansas basketball bounced back in a big way Tuesday night, holding off UCF for a 91-87 win at Allen Fieldhouse.
The Jayhawks leaned on their veteran leaders, as Zeke Mayo and Hunter Dickinson each poured in 24 points to guide Kansas to a much-needed victory.
Mayo was aggressive from beyond the arc, knocking down six three-pointers on 10 attempts.
He also added nine rebounds and five assists in a well-rounded effort.
Dickinson, meanwhile, did his damage in the paint and at the free-throw line, going 10-for-12 from the stripe while pulling down seven boards.
Kansas needed every bit of their star duo’s production to fend off a relentless UCF squad.
The Knights refused to go away, keeping the game close down the stretch. But Kansas responded with timely baskets and steady free-throw shooting, finishing the night 25-of-29 from the line.
Freshman big man Flory Bidunga was once again a force inside, finishing with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
The Jayhawks also got strong contributions from David Coit, who scored 12 points on 4-for-8 shooting off the bench, and Rylan Griffen, who played solid minutes on both ends.
With the win, Kansas moves to 15-5 on the season and looks to build momentum heading into the next stretch of conference play.