UCF Knights basketball — program history
UCF's basketball program began in the late 1960s before the school even had a nickname — the original proposed mascot was the 'Citronaut,' a bizarre orange-astronaut hybrid honoring Central Florida's citrus and space industries. Students eventually chose 'Knights' in 1970, allied with the university seal's Pegasus symbol. The program gained national attention when 7-foot-6 Tacko Fall, a Senegalese player who maintained a 4.0 high school GPA and scored in the 95th percentile on the SAT, became one of college basketball's most beloved figures from 2016-2019.
The name
The original mascot was the 'Citronaut' — an orange with an astronaut helmet; students voted for 'Knights' in 1970, connected to the Pegasus on the university seal
Signature moment
Tacko Fall's 2019 NCAA Tournament appearance, bringing national attention to UCF basketball as the 7-foot-6 center nearly led an upset of Duke
UCF's original mascot proposal was the 'Citronaut' — a half-orange, half-astronaut creature honoring the area's citrus and space industries — which was rejected by students but has become a beloved retro symbol
The UCF Knights compete in the Big 12 and hold an all-time record of 596–620 (.490 winning percentage) across 42 recorded seasons dating back to 1984-85.
Season-by-season results
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