In control for the first 35 minutes, No. 13 Texas A&M suffered a catastrophic collapse in the final five minutes to drop the 2024-25 season opener to UCF, 64-61.
With Solomon Washington back in the lineup, Jace Carter returning home and all the pieces in place for a special season, the Aggies appeared poised to make a statement at Addition Financial Arena against the short-handed Knights.
UCF was without their returning leading scorer, Jaylin Sellers, who averaged 15.9 points per game last season, and star transfer Mikey Williams.
But their absences ultimately didn’t matter as the Knights embarrassed the Aggies late.
Minnesota transfer Pharrel Payne made his impact known early, scoring his first points as an Aggie with a high-flying dunk and leading an 11-2 run out of the gate. The lone bright spot, Payne would finish with a team-leading 15 points in his debut before fouling out.
UCF’s aggressive defense and versatility to play man-to-man and a matchup zone confused the Aggies offensively and fueled a late first-half charge.
After starting 0-of-6 from 3-point land, the Knights went on a 6-of-10 shooting spree that electrified the crowd to erase a 10-point deficit and take the lead before halftime.
Little did the Aggies know that this run foreshadowed a grim ending.
Star guards Jordan Ivy-Curry and Darius Johnson combined for 20 points and 5-of-6 3-pointers made by UCF in the first half. The duo went on to total 40 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.
Preseason First-Team All-SEC pick Wade Taylor IV was held to just three points as the teams were deadlocked at 29 a piece at halftime.
Despite the even score, A&M found some rhythm offensively by dominating the paint, 18-2.
But they abandoned this winning formula late in the game.
The second half began similarly to the first, with the Aggies racing out to an early lead behind back-to-back triples from Taylor and three straight buckets inside from Payne.
UCF’s Moustapha Thiam and Keyshawn Hall both picked up their fourth fouls within the first five minutes of the second half.
With the Knights on their heels, their stars in foul trouble, their offense sputtering and the rebounding margin expanding in A&M’s favor, the Aggies had every chance to put this game out of reach.
After holding UCF to just 14 points in the first 12 minutes of the half, the floodgates started to open. The Knights pounded away inside, drawing foul after foul and trimmed the deficit to six points despite not making a field goal for nearly five minutes.
With under five minutes left in a two-possession game, Taylor stepped up and hit a logo 3-pointer that should’ve been the dagger at 59-50 with 4:52 left.
After that, the Aggies finished 0-for-12 from the field and were outscored 14-2.
The Knights capitalized on free throws, converting 22-of-31 from the line. In contrast, A&M went just 8-of-14.
Time ticked off the clock, and the Aggies wasted numerous chances to make a shot.
In their final game of the 2023-24 season against Houston, the Maroon & White nearly pulled off an epic comeback.
Now to start the 2024-25 campaign, they’re on the losing end of an embarrassing collapse.
Buzz Williams and the Aggies will have an opportunity to get back on track in Friday’s home opener vs. Texas A&M-Commerce.
