The Big 12 conference has proven to be one of the deepest in the country all season, and Saturday was the latest example why.
One week after picking up a thrilling win over then-No. 6 Houston, No. 11 Texas Tech (16-5, 6-2 Big 12) was overwhelmed in an 88-80 upset from unranked UCF (17-4, 6-3 Big 12).
The Knights excelled on the glass, out-rebounding Texas Tech, 34-22, including 13-4 on the offensive boards. Not only is the win the third in a row for UCF over Texas Tech, but it adds to a strong resume and highlights how competitive the conference is, especially at the top.
UCF strengthens resume in loaded Big 12
This is the second conference win over a ranked opponent this season for UCF, which previously took down a 17th-ranked Kansas team, 81-75, on Jan. 3. A balanced scoring attack led the way on Saturday as four of UCF’s starters scored in double figures, led by senior guard Themus Fulks (21 points, 9-of-23 FG, seven assists).
The Knights only committed six turnovers to Texas Tech’s 13, shot 49.2% from the floor, 46.2% (6-of-13) from deep and made 81.8% of their free-throw attempts (18-of-22).
Of UCF’s four losses this season, Oklahoma State is the only team that is currently unranked. Its only setback in non-conference play was against a Vanderbilt team that is the Associated Press No. 18 team in the country. The two defeats in conference play were against No. 1 Arizona and No. 9 Iowa State, respectively.
According to KenPom, UCF is only ranked 45th, which does not exactly jump off the page. When you consider the Knights have conference wins over Kansas and Texas Tech, though, it shows how deep the Big 12 is at the moment.
ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has seven Big 12 teams projected in the 68-team NCAA Tournament field in his latest bracketology. While the conference may not be as deep from top to bottom as the Big Ten, which currently has 11 teams projected to make the “Big Dance,” it is hard to deny how impressive the teams at the top have been.
Coming into Saturday, UCF was projected as a nine-seed— the worst of any of the seven Big 12 teams in the field — but its resume suggests it is more than capable of putting a run together in March.
It does not get any easier for UCF as it prepares for a road trip to face No. 10 Houston on Wednesday, not to mention another road game on Feb. 24 against No. 13 BYU.
If the Knights have proven anything so far, it is that they can hang with anyone and should not be overlooked in a conference that is as deep as any in the country.