Baylor Bears vs UCF Knights Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our UCF vs Baylor NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Waco.

UCF vs Baylor Prediction

Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Knights versus the Bears? Tip off is at at 2:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at Foster Pavilion in Waco, TX. The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 154.5 points, and Baylor is favored by -10.5 to win at home against UCF.

UCF vs. Baylor Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: UCF Knights at Baylor Bears
Where: Waco at Foster Pavilion
Date: Saturday, February 8th
Betting Odds BAYL -10.5, UCF +363 | BAYL -500 O/U 154.5

Knights Preview: Is a Win at Waco Possible for the Knights?

UCF’s season record fell to 13-9 after a 93-83 home loss to Cincinnati on Wednesday. The Knights, who entered the game as -3.5 favorites, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread.

UCF trailed 40-36 at halftime and couldn’t tighten up defensively in the 2nd half, allowing 53 points while scoring 47. The game’s total points of 176 exceeded the O/U line of 146.5.

Knights Offense Breakdown

UCF put up 83 points in their last game, shooting 47.8% from the field. Their two-point shooting was a strong 60%, but they struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 22.7% of their threes (5/22). At the free-throw line, they connected on 77.8% of their attempts (14/18).

Keyshawn Hall led the way with 23 points and 7 rebounds, while Darius Johnson added 21 points and 6 assists. Day Day Thomas contributed 20 points and 6 assists, shooting 60% from the field. Aziz Bandaogo was efficient, making 7 of 8 shots for 16 points, and Jizzle James added 15 points in just 18 minutes.

Knights Team Defense

Despite UCF's defensive struggles, allowing 93 points, they did manage to limit their opponent's three-point shooting to just 5 made threes on 22 attempts, a 22% success rate.

However, the Knights couldn't contain the two-point attack, as their opponent shot 60% from inside the arc, hitting 27 of 45 attempts. UCF also sent them to the free-throw line 18 times, where they converted 14 free throws.

Bears Preview: Can the Bears Hold Strong at Home?

Baylor Bears Recent Game/Games

The Bears dropped to 13-8 on the season after a 73-59 loss to Texas Tech on Tuesday. Baylor, who entered the game as +8 underdogs, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread.

After trailing 34-24 at halftime, Baylor put up 35 points in the second half but allowed 39. The total points for the game were 132, falling short of the 142.5 O/U line.

Bears Offense Breakdown

Baylor's offense struggled in their last game, managing just 59 points on 33.9% shooting from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 39.3%, and they hit only 27.8% of their three-point attempts, going 5 for 18 from deep.

Chance McMillian led the way with 19 points, connecting on 5 of 11 threes for a 45.5% shooting percentage from beyond the arc. Elijah Hawkins also hit 3 of 7 from three, finishing with 13 points and 7 assists. Baylor shot 80% from the free-throw line, making 16 of 20 attempts, and grabbed 13 offensive rebounds.

Bears Team Defense

Baylor's defense gave up 73 points, with the opposing team shooting 39% from the field. They allowed 27 made field goals on 68 attempts.

From beyond the arc, the other team hit 11 of 29 threes, shooting 37%. Baylor also sent them to the line 10 times, where they made 8 free throws.

Knights vs Bears Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

When looking at their past five road matchups, UCF has an ATS record of 4-1 while averaging 86 per game. The team went 2-3 overall in these games.
In their last three games at home, the Bears have a straight up record of 1-2 while going 1-1-1 vs. the spread. The team averaged 74 points per game in this stretch.
Going back to their previous five games as the underdog, UCF has an ATS mark of 3-2 while going 1-4 straight up.
Going back to their last ten games as the favorite, the Bears have a straight up record of 9-1. But, their mark vs the spread was just 5-5.