Rostering one of the most polarizing teams in college basketball, UCF basketball hopes to make it back to the tournament for the second time in 20 years.
The tradition continues! CBB Review is again ranking the top 100 teams heading into the new college basketball season. Each day, we will reveal the next team until we reach the team slotted at number one. Up next: UCF basketball.
Last year, many expected UCF basketball to really struggle in the Big 12, and winning 4 games would be a good season. They surpassed expectations, winning seven conference games, including wins against Texas, Kansas, TCU, and Texas Tech. It was enough to keep Dawkins around another season, but with just one tournament appearance in 8 years, the seat remains hot.
The good news is they bring back their two stars from last year in Darius Johnson and Jaylin Sellers. Both have the ability to go off for 25 on any given night, so having them return is huge for this UCF team.
Then, there’s Dior Johnson and Mikey Williams. At one point, Johnson was ranked 3rd in his class and Williams 2nd, but a flurry of off-the-court issues has interrupted their college careers. They also bring in Benny Williams, who was dismissed from the Syracuse program last season. All three have a lot of talent, but the off-court issues certainly loom over them.
The difference makers that can push them past last season’s performance is the additions of Keyshawn Hall and Jordan Ivy-Curry. Both were high-level scorers for their programs last year and can definitely handle the step up to the Big 12. One of the most interesting teams in the country, this team will be one to keep an eye on all season.
Click here to learn more about our preseason top 100 teams heading into the 2024-25 college basketball season.
Head coach:Â Johnny Dawkins (9th season at UCF, 17th season overall)
2023-24 record: 17-16 (7-11)
2024 postseason finish: Lost to South Florida (83-77) in first round of NIT
Notable departures:Â
- CJ Walker (7.8 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 0.5 APG)
- Marchelus Avery (7.6 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 0.7 APG)
- Shemarri Allen (7.3 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 2.6 APG)
- Ibrahima Diallo (6.3 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 0.4 APG)
Notable non-conference games:Â
- vs. Texas A&M (Nov. 4)
- vs. FAU (Nov. 12)
- vs. Wisconsin (Nov. 22)
- vs. Pitt OR LSU (Nov. 24)
Projected Rotation
PG: Darius Johnson (6-1, 200, Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 15.2 PPG, 3.7 APG, 3.3 RPG, 2.2 SPG, 39.4 3P%
SG: Jaylin Sellers (6-4, 205, Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 15.9 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.1 APG, 1.1 SPG
SF: Keyshawn Hall (6-7, 235, Jr.)
2023-24 stats: 16.6 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 1.4 APG, 47.4 FG%, 35.7 3P%, 84.4 FT% (George Mason)
PF: Benny Williams (6-10, 217, Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 5.4 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 1.2 APG (Syracuse)
C: Rokas Jocius (6-10, 240, Jr.)
2023-24 stats: 8.5 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 0.4 APG, 56.1 FG%, 38.5 3P% (La Salle)
6: Jordan Ivy-Curry (6-3, 177, Gr.-Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 17.1 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 3.0 APG, 38.7 3P% (UTSA)
7: Dallan Coleman (6-6, 220, Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 5.9 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 0.6 APG, 34.0 3P% (Georgia Tech)
8: Dior Johnson (6-3, 182, So.)
247Sports Composite #53 ranked recruit (2023)
9: Mikey Williams (6-3, 193, Fr.)
247Sports Composite #39 ranked recruit (2023)
10: Moustapha Thiam (7-2, 235, Fr.)
247Sports Composite #42 ranked recruit
UCF Basketball Team MVP: Darius Johnson
Johnson took a huge jump from his sophomore to junior year scoring-wise and was a key reason for the overall jump last year from the team. The big reason why was his three-point shooting. He went from a 26.9% shooter to 39.4%, and made over two a game. Defensively, he might be even better, averaging 2.2 steals last season.
Johnson is the team’s leader, and they will look to him constantly, especially early in the season as the rest of the lineup looks to build chemistry and get comfortable in Dawkins’ system. If he can be as good as he was last year, UCF basketball is capable of being a tournament-caliber team.
UCF Basketball make-or-break player: Dior Johnson and Mikey Williams
As mentioned earlier, Johnson and Williams were both top 5 players in their class at one point. The off court issues were serious and not something to look over, though. They get a second chance, and we really don’t know what that’s going to look like. If those guys both play at a high level, they can beat any team with that duo plus Johnson and Williams.
There’s a good chance that this isn’t the case though, and both struggle and fall out of the rotation or worse, the off-the-court issue elevates. Obviously, UCF’s ceiling drops significantly if that ends up being the case, so all eyes will be on the two of them last season.
Key analytic: Steals per game
UCF boasted some of the best defensive efficiency in the country, and it shows with their 8.7 steals per game. This was ranked 17th in the country, and they also finished 61st in the country in fastbreak points. Three of their incoming transfers averaged a steal a game, and Johnson is back and will most likely hit his numbers again.
Forcing turnovers and winning the battle was one of the key reasons they overperformed last year, and hopefully, for them, they can repeat.
UCF Basketball 2024-25 projections
Projected conference finish: 11th in the Big 12
Projected postseason ceiling: NCAA Tournament Round of 64 Exit