ORLANDO – UCF used 22 points from Isiah Sykes and a controlling rebounding effort to pull away to an 83-63 victory over Bethune-Cookman Sunday.

The Wildcats (1-2) closed to 58-51 on a Mikel Trapp three-pointer with 10:38 remaining, but the Knights (2-1) an 18-5 run to extend their lead to 76-56 with 4:53 left to play.  UCF outrebounded B-CU 35-8 in the second half and 55-24 for the game.

Maurice Taylor and Ricky Johnson led the Wildcats with 15 points each, followed by Malik Jackson with 12. Daquan Brown added eight.

Jackson hit consecutive three-pointers, then Brown a lay-up as B-CU took an early 14-8 lead with 13:53 left in the first half. Brown later made it 16-10, but the Knights used a 21-4 run to take a 31-20 with 2:33 remaining.

A Trapp three-pointer helped B-CU cut it to 35-25 at halftime.

The Knights lost track of Taylor and Johnson at the start of the second half and that kept the game close. The two split 24 points in the first 12 minutes of the half, hitting 3-pointers, driving layups and eight free throws between them.

Taylor was 5-8 from the field and 5-5 from the line. Jackson hit three three-pointers and also had four rebounds and four assists. Johnson had five assists

 B-CU hosts Trinity College Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Historic Moore Gymnasium.