UCF rallying behind Riley Kugel ahead of first game vs. FGCU

Not much returns from UCF's NCAA Tournament team last season, but Riley Kugel comes back as a key piece.

For now.

After Kugel played three seasons in the Southeastern Conference -- two for Florida and one for Mississippi State -- the Orlando native was one of roughly 100 athletes to be granted a fifth year of eligibility after last season, though the NCAA is appealing that injunction.

If all stays the same, Kugel will be in the lineup Monday night when the Knights host cross-state foe Florida Gulf Coast in a season-opening contest in Orlando.

"It's definitely a chance for me to put the world on notice again, another time," Kugel said. "I feel like everybody already knows who I am."

In his first season back home, Kugel averaged career highs in points (14.4) and 3-point percentage (38.7) and was an important piece as the Knights went 21-12 and 9-9 in the Big 12.

The team advanced to the NCAA Tournament as an at-large seed, ultimately losing to UCLA 75-71 in a first-round matchup in Philadelphia.

The 22-year-old has high expectations despite declaring for the 2026 NBA Draft and not being chosen.

"It's just putting the pieces all together in one year, trying to make it an All-American year as well as winning the (NCAA) Tournament," Kugel said.

Added coach Johnny Dawkins, who signed a three-year extension in May: "He's a hometown guy. ... We get a chance to try and run it back again with him."

Meanwhile, fifth-year coach Pat Chambers and his Eagles sported a losing record for the second time in four seasons last winter: 16-18 overall and 8-10 in Atlantic Sun Conference play.

So he and his staff turned to AI in recruiting, crunching numbers on game impact and finding four freshmen and four transfers who could help a group which he says is now bigger and faster than past teams.

"The style of play is somewhat new this year," Chambers said. "A little bit more hunting 3s, a little bit more back-cutting, a little more offensive rebounding, a little bit more ‘guard your yard.' We have athleticism.

"I'm not going to say Dunk City all the way, but close, close. So raining 3s on one side and maybe Dunk City as well, who knows."

That group of newcomers is headlined by Elijah Brooks, who averaged 9.8 points in two seasons at Houston Christian.

Of the eight returners, Darren Williams was the top scorer at 6.2 ppg, having shot 35.7% from distance.

--Field Level Media