UCF basketball adds home-and-home series with Texas A&M
UCF men’s basketball will open its 2024-25 season with a home game against Texas A&M on Nov. 4. It’s the first game of a home-and-home series, with the Knights traveling to College Station in 2025.
It’s the first meeting between the two programs on the basketball court and the fifth straight season in which UCF has played an opponent from the Southeastern Conference.
Texas A&M finished with a 21-15 overall record last season, earning the Aggies a bid to the NCAA Tournament. They advanced to the second round before losing to No. 1-seed Houston, 100-95, in overtime. It was the fifth season under coach Buzz Williams.
“Excited to open our season against Texas A&M this year! Looking forward to seeing everyone back in Addition Financial Arena in November,” coach Johnny Dawkins said in a post on X.
Excited to open our season against Texas A&M this year! Looking forward to seeing everyone back in Addition Financial Arena in November
https://t.co/2E2XyEt6TZ pic.twitter.com/2vdkDaWfw3
— Johnny Dawkins (@Coach_Dawkins) May 8, 2024
UCF will participate in its second season in the Big 12 after finishing 17-16 last year after being ousted in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament by USF. Despite the finish, the Knights exceeded expectations in their first season in a Power 5 conference, including an upset of then-No. 3 Kansas and a program-best three wins over ranked opponents.
While the 2024-25 nonconference schedule isn’t completed, UCF will play a pair of games on Nov. 22 and 24 as part of the Greenbrier Tipoff. Wisconsin, Pitt, and LSU will also participate in the event, which will be held at The Greenbrier in Sulpher Springs, W.Va.
Dawkins is set to begin his ninth season with the program and is close to signing a multi-year contract extension.
UCF returns starting guards Darius Johnson, Jaylin Sellers, and second-year players Tyler Hendricks and Nils Machowski. The Knights have also added several transfers, including former Memphis guard Mikey Williams and former Syracuse forward Benny Williams.
Benny Williams signed on Wednesday, joining Oak Ridge High School product Cameron Simpson as the latest newcomers to the program.
UCF also has verbal commitments from transfers Keyshawn Hall (George Mason) and Rokas Jocias (La Salle).
Matt Murschel can be reached at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com