Sellers scores 23 points to lead Central Florida past Florida International

0:25

Jaylin Sellers throws down mean and-1 jam for UCF

Jaylin Sellers gets the ball in transition and finishes through contact for an emphatic slam.

Nov 7, 2023, 04:28 am

ORLANDO, Fla. -- — Jaylin Sellers scored 23 points and Darius Johnson scored 15 and Central Florida beat Florida International 85-62 on Monday night in a season opener for the teams.

Despite shooting 7 for 24 for 3-point range (29.2%), the Knights — now of the Big 12 Conference — shot 50% (31 for 62) overall.

After Dashon Gittens made two foul shots to get the Panthers within 18-16 with 9:36 before halftime, the Knightsoutscored FIU 25-5 and led 43-21 at halftime.

The Panthers' lone lead came when Petar Krivokapic made a layup for the game's first score. FIU shot 4 for 18 (22.2%) from 3-point range. Gittens scored 11 points and Krivokapic 10. Arturo Dean, FIU's leading scorer last year at 11.9-points per contest, finished 1-for-7 shooting and scored two points.

UCF, which will face Kansas State in Manhattan, Kansas, on Jan. 6 for its first Big 12 action, has a total of 10 new players on its roster, four of which are fifth-year players.

The Knights travel to play 13th-ranked Miami on Friday.

------ Get poll alerts and updates on AP Top 25 basketball throughout the season. Sign up here ------ AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball