UCF heads to Philadelphia for NCAA Tournament showdown with UCLA

Knights receive campus send-off before facing Bruins in East Region matchup

Mar. 19, 2026 at 12:07am

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The UCF men's basketball team received a campus send-off on Wednesday as they departed for Philadelphia, where they will face UCLA in the NCAA Tournament on Friday night. This is UCF's sixth all-time NCAA Tournament appearance and the first since 2019. Head coach Johnny Dawkins is excited for his team to compete against the storied Bruins program, despite dealing with some injury issues down the stretch.

Why it matters

This matchup between UCF and UCLA in the NCAA Tournament represents a high-profile opportunity for the Knights program to make a deep run in the Big Dance. A win over the Bruins would advance UCF to the next round, potentially setting up a showdown with powerhouse UConn.

The details

UCF earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament after posting a 21-11 record in the regular season. The Knights will be facing a 23-11 UCLA squad that earned an automatic bid out of the Big Ten. UCF has dealt with some injury concerns, with players like Jamichael Stillwell, Riley Kugel, Jeremy Foumena, and John Bol all nursing various ailments. However, head coach Johnny Dawkins expects Stillwell to be available for the game against the Bruins.

  • UCF received a campus send-off on Wednesday before departing for Philadelphia.
  • The UCF vs. UCLA matchup will take place on Friday, March 22, 2026 at 7:25 p.m. ET.

The players

Johnny Dawkins

The head coach of the UCF men's basketball team, leading the Knights to their sixth NCAA Tournament appearance.

Jamichael Stillwell

A UCF player who has been dealing with a sprained ankle but is expected to be available for the game against UCLA.

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What they’re saying

“I'm excited about going out there and competing. That's something that we've done all season long. I've been proud of our group, their effort and energy has been amazing.”

— Johnny Dawkins, Head Coach, UCF

“Another storied program, great coach, great tradition. You can't ask for anything more than that in college basketball and we're excited to be a part of it.”

— Johnny Dawkins, Head Coach, UCF

What’s next

The winner of the UCF vs. UCLA matchup will advance to face either No. 2 seed UConn or No. 15 seed Furman in the next round of the NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

This NCAA Tournament showdown between UCF and UCLA represents a high-profile opportunity for the Knights program to make a deep run in the Big Dance and potentially set up a marquee matchup with a powerhouse program like UConn. Despite dealing with some injury concerns, UCF appears ready to compete against the storied Bruins program.