Three Word Reviews: Men’s and Women’s Basketball

With the 2023-2024 UCF Knights athletic year over and the relatively quiet summer months upon us, we’ll all now be looking to next season. But before we do that, we wanted to take a moment and look back at this past year.

The Banneret staff will be taking a look at every team that represented UCF this past year and describe how their seasons went. The only catch: we have to do it in three words or less.

Let’s talk hoops!

Men’s Basketball

• Record: 19-15, 8-10 in the Big 12
• Preseason: Picked 14th
• Result: 12th
• Postseason: Lost in the first round of NIT to USF

Nick: Expectations change midseason

Before the season, I remember in our preview we were saying the team needed to be modest with our expectations. Specifically we should be happy to make any type of postseason appearance.

That changed in the middle of the year. After beating Kansas, I feel like many started to believe this team had a shot at making the NCAA tournament. And all of the close losses to ranked teams both showed that and frustrated those who thought it. This was a successful first year, but I think people have forgotten that because they’re mad about all of the close losses and believe this squad blew a chance to make the NCAA tournament.

Jeff: WE BEAT KANSAS

I don’t care what anyone says, this season will forever be remembered for the night we beat Kansas. It even overshadows the loss at the end of the season.

It was one of those rare moments that you wonder will ever happen, and then it does, and you don’t know how to react. But all of us who were there will remember it. I know I will.

Bryson: Don’t Doubt Dawkins

It is no secret that we at the Banneret have a bit of fun ribbing at the “Fire Dawkins” section of the UCF fanbase. This season gave us plenty of reason to do so. Even when he had to recruit almost an entirely new roster (again) and was projected to finish last in a stacked Big 12, he and the Knights outperformed all expectations by getting wins against #3 Kansas, #23 Oklahoma, #23 Texas Tech, and Texas in Austin while also within striking distance of #19 BYU in Provo and #1 Houston in Orlando.

If the Football team proved they can belong in the Big 12, the men’s basketball team proved they do belong in the Big 12.

Jaylin Sellers, one of the main architects of this season on the court, said that Dawkins was the best coach he’s had in his life, and he is coming back for next season. If there is anything that this team proved this season, it’s that Johnny Dawkins can lead this team into the Big 12 and succeed. He has more than earned a benefit of the doubt at this point.

Kyle: Buying on Sellers

All the Dawkins’ haters may be crying about the loss to the former-rival USF, but at day’s end the program exceeded expectations even while leaving some games out there. Dawkins to continue to execute recruiting magic replacing the now-departed C.J. Walker with Moustapha Thiam.

Sellers publicly supporting coach Dawkins sent a message that not only galvanized the team in the house but looked good on the recruiting streets. That in conjunction with Dawkins’ contract extension makes this a promising look for growth despite a dramatically fiscally underinvested program.

Women’s Basketball

• Record: 12-17, 3-15 in the Big 12
• Preseason: Picked 14th
• Result: 14th
• Postseason: Lost in the first round of Big 12 Tournament to Cincinnati.

Alonzo Adams for The Oklahoman / USA TODAY NETWORK

Nick: Progress… hopefully?

It was not a good year for this team. But we knew before the season that’s how it was gonna be. The team is still in the middle of a rebuild. That said things looked better than they did last year. Some players like Peterson and Akon showed flashes and they had that long win streak to start the year. Hopefully, these are signs the rebuild is going well.

Jeff: Still Requires Assembly

I think Coach Messer did an admirable job transitioning the roster from a patchwork AAC squad into a team that had some Big 12-level talent (see: Peterson, Kaitlin), but just not enough depth. Peterson had to carry the load, and although she produced at an astounding level, she was only one person, and when opponents got her number, UCF was left with few, if any, viable offensive options.

That said, I think this team would have competed in the AAC had we still been in that league. Coach Messer’s acumen for recruiting and knowledge of the Big 12 are now ready to come into their own here. That means size, rebounding, and defense to supplement Peterson.

Bryson: Restocking in Progress

The rebuild continues for head coach Sytia Messer, but 2023-2024 showcased that the team was making progress. For one, they went 9-1 in non-conference play, including a win over Auburn, who it lost to last season.

Meanwhile, on the court, Messer flexed her and her staff’s recruiting talents via the arrivals of true freshman Achol Akot and Khyala Ngodu, who held their own after being thrown into the deep end right away, especially Ngodu, and Kaitlin Peterson from the transfer portal, who strapped the team’s offense onto her back at times to turn in one of the best offensive seasons the program has seen since the 90s.

The biggest issues this team had were frontcourt depth and size, which offseason moves indicate are being addressed. It’s never fun to watch a team struggle to a losing record, but for those that stuck with these Knights and paid attention in 2023-24, the foundational pieces are being laid for a push for the top in due time.

Kyle: More to Come

Normally I would ask the critics where they are hiding when it comes to a record like this, but the truth is among new coaches in the Terry Mohajir era coach Messer had the most ground to gain.

For them to come back and beat Auburn this past year after a 40-point drubbing the previous season is evidence of a successful identity change. While it’s easy to claim lack of size is the issue, the truth is that freshman phenoms like Akot and Ngodu can correct for that nicely with increased discipline through experience that might keep them out of foul trouble.

Pair that with some of the promising commitments we’ve seen, and maybe life without Mya Burns can still be less Peterson-centric on the court.