Johnson scores career-high 33 points, UCF holds off TCU 79-77
Central Florida guard Shemarri Allen (2) drives to the basket against TCU forward Chuck O'Bannon Jr (5) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, March 9, 2024, in Fort Worth, Texas. Credit: AP/Chris Torres
FORT WORTH, Texas — Darius Johnson scored a career-high 33 points and UCF held off TCU for a 79-77 victory on Saturday night.
Johnson scored four points and Jaylin Sellers converted a three-point play to give UCF a 66-65 lead with 4:15 to play. Johnson then shot 6 of 6 from the line to stretch the Knights’ lead to 78-74 with 15 seconds left. Emanuel Miller's pull-up jumper for TCU was off at the buzzer.
UCF (16-14, 7-11), which entered having lost two straight at home against ranked opponents, collected it third Big 12 road win.
Johnson made five 3-pointers, was 9-of-13 shooting overall and made all 10 of his free-throw attempts to go with a career-best nine rebounds. Sellers added 14 points and Ibrahima Diallo had 12 for the Knights, who shot 54% (13 of 24) and 15 of 17 from the line in the second half.
Jameer Nelson Jr. scored 15 points and JaKobe Coles added 14 to lead TCU (20-11, 9-9). Miller finished with 13 points and Chuck O’Bannon chipped in with 11.
It was tied 36-all at the break. Johnson scored 13 first-half points for UCF and O’Bannon had nine for TCU. The Horned Frogs led 64-59 with 5:41 to play.
UCF will play a first-round game on Tuesday in the Big 12 Conference Championship at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
TCU guard Jameer Nelson Jr., top center, competes for the ball against Central Florida guard Shemarri Allen, bottom, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, March 9, 2024, in Fort Worth, Texas. Credit: AP/Chris Torres
TCU plays in the second round on Wednesday.
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