The UCF Knights (10-3, 1-0 AAC) are on the road to face the No. 3 Houston Cougars (13-1, 1-0 AAC) Saturday in what figures to be a slow-paced game.
UCF beat the Wichita State Shockers 52-45 at Addition Financial Arena on Wednesday. Darius Johnson was the standout player with 15 points. Houston won their fourth in a row in dominant fashion on Wednesday at Donald Reynolds Center, beating the Tulsa Golden Hurricane 89-50.
J’Wan Roberts had 15 points and nine rebounds, leading the team. This marks the only meeting of the season between the teams. Houston won both games between the teams last season, the last of which was a 70-52 triumph at Fertitta Center on February 17, their fifth straight head-to-head victory.
Taze Moore led the Cougars with 14 points and seven rebounds. Johnson had 12 points and six rebounds in the loss. Taylor Hendricks is averaging 14.8 points per game to lead the Knights in scoring this season. Hendricks also has grabbed 6.8 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, Johnson is dishing 2.8 assists.
Marcus Sasser has powered the Cougars’ offense, averaging 15.7 points per game. Roberts is averaging 7.3 rebounds per game, and Jamal Shead is distributing 5.6 assists.
Half-court execution will be of utmost importance in this matchup that features a pair of the nation’s slowest-paced teams, as the Cougars and the Knights rank 348th and 311th, respectively, in possessions per game.
The Knights have come up short more often than not in recent visits to Fertitta Center, losing six of the last 10.In the last 10 games, UCF is 8-2 with an average margin of +8.9 (67.5-58.6). Houston has gone 9-1 over the last 10, scoring 72.4 points per game on average while allowing 51.4 (+21.0 margin).
KNIGHTS HOT/COLD
(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Points + Rebounds + Assists:
Darius Johnson: 19.6 | 11.8 | +7.8
Lahat Thioune: 3.4 | 5.6 | -2.2
Points per game:
Darius Johnson: 11.2 | 7.2 | +4.0
Rebounds per game:
C.J. Kelly: 5.8 | 4.2 | +1.6
Assists per game:
Darius Johnson: 5.2 | 2.8 | +2.4
Jayhlon Young: 1.4 | 2.7 | -1.3
COUGARS HOT/COLD
(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Points + Rebounds + Assists:
Ja’Vier Francis: 16.4 | 11.8 | +4.6
Points per game:
Jamal Shead: 9.8 | 7.8 | +2.0
Rebounds per game:
Ja’Vier Francis: 6.4 | 4.8 | +1.6
SportsTips’ College Basketball Pick:
UCF +15.5 (-110)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
