B.J. Taylor scored 15 points, including UCF's final five, and the Knights edged Tulsa 64-62 on Saturday despite going without a field goal for the final 6½ minutes.
UCF trailed by 15 early and 32-23 at halftime before taking a seven-point lead with 6:36 left after a 19-5 run but didn't make another basket.
The Knights, who came in ranked 335th in free-throw percentage at 62.6, missed their next four free throws but then made 10 of 12. Taylor missed his final free throw with 11.4 left and Sterling Taplin dribbled down court before trying an awkward bounce pass that went awry.
Collin Smith scored 13 points and Aubrey Dawkins and Tacko Fall 12 each for the Knights (14-3, 4-1 American Athletic), who beat the Golden Hurricane (12-7, 2-4) for the second time in their last seven meetings and won their ninth straight home game. Chad Brown grabbed 10 rebounds.
Daquan Jeffries scored 15 points and Taplin 14 for Tulsa.