UCF basketball drops exhibition game against LSU

UCF guard Riley Kugel had a game-high 21 points in the Knights' exhibition loss to LSU on Sunday at Addition Financial Arena. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel)If UCF coach Johnny Dawkins wanted to get a better understanding of his team, he got a good glimpse over a two-game exhibition schedule that featured No. 6 Duke and LSU.

The Knights, which open the season against Hofstra on Nov. 3, held a double-digit lead in the first half only to watch it disappear in a 75-68 loss over visiting LSU on Sunday at Addition Financial Arena.

“I get a lot more information and I get my players to start to adjust to the level that we are at,” Dawkins said of the purpose of the exhibition games. “Some…