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12/17 20:36 CST Jordan Burks scores 17 points and UCF defeats Mercer 81-63 for eighth straight win Jordan Burks scores 17 points and UCF defeats Mercer 81-63 for eighth straight win ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) --- Jordan Burks scored 17 points, Jamichael Stillwell had a double-double, and UCF defeated Mercer 81-63 on Wednesday night, giving the Knights their eighth straight win. UCF (9-1) has won eight in a row for the first time since the 2004-05 team also won eight straight. The Knights extended the best start under head coach Johnny Dawkins, who took over in 2016. The Knights led 28-22 with 4 1/2 minutes remaining in the first half before a 3-pointer by Chris Johnson started a 7-2 run that gave them an 11-point lead, 35-24. Connor Serven's 3-pointer got the Bears within 35-27 at halftime. Central Florida scored the first five points of the second half for a 40-27 lead. The Knights led by double digits the rest of the way. The lead reached 20 points with a little over a minute remaining. Riley Kugel scored 16 points and Themus Fulks 14 for UCF. Stillwell had 12 points and 10 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. Brady Shoulders scored 14 points, Armani Mighty 13 and Baraka Okojie 10 for the Bears (7-4). Mighty had nine rebounds and four blocks. Mercer has lost two in a row, including a 70-63 loss to Clemson last Saturday that snapped the Bears' five-game winning streak. Three of Mercer's four losses have been to teams from a power conference.

Up next UCF: The Knights host FGCU on Saturday. Mercer: The Bears travel across the country to play at Washington State on Saturday. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

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