OVIEDO, Fla. (Interstat) — The UCF Knights used a balanced scoring attack and a dominant third-quarter run to pull away from the Florida International Golden Panthers, securing a 79-61 victory in a non-conference women’s basketball game Tuesday afternoon at CFE Arena.

A crowd of 1,357 watched as the Knights improved their record to 2-1, while the Golden Panthers fell to 1-2.

The game was tightly contested through the first half, with UCF holding a narrow 32-27 lead at the break. The Knights seized control immediately after halftime, outscoring Florida International 22-10 in the third period to build a commanding 54-37 advantage heading into the final quarter. UCF’s defense stifled the Golden Panthers, holding them to just four field goals in the quarter.

Jacorriah Bracey led the Knights with 17 points in 29 minutes of action. She was complemented by backcourt mates Leah Harmon, who added 15 points and five assists, and Samari Bankhead, who chipped in 13 points and four assists. The trio combined for 45 of UCF’s 79 points. Khyala Ngodu provided a significant interior presence off the bench, scoring 10 points and recording a block.

Florida International was led by Parris Atkins, who poured in a game-high 20 points. Claudia Marina Gonzalez scored 12 points, and Rhema Collins added 14 for the Golden Panthers, who mounted a 24-point effort in the fourth quarter but could not overcome the large deficit established in the third.

UCF set the tone early with a 7-0 run to start the game, but Florida International clawed back to keep the first half competitive. The Knights’ decisive surge after halftime proved to be the difference, as they consistently found answers for every Golden Panther push.

The Knights will look to build on the win when they host Florida A&M on Friday. Florida International will aim to get back on track Saturday with a road game at Jacksonville.