BYU Cougars vs UCF Knights Matchup

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

BYU vs UCF Prediction

Planning on watching today's Cougars and Knights game? Catch the action at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, FL, as the Knights hosts this showdown at 4:00 ET on ESPN+. The over/under for this game is set at 158.5 points, and UCF is favored by -1.5 vs. BYU in a Big 12 conference matchup.

BYU vs. UCF Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: BYU Cougars at UCF Knights
Where: Orlando at Addition Financial Arena
Date: Saturday, February 1st
Betting Odds UCF -1.5, BYU +100 | UCF -120 O/U 158.5

Cougars Preview: Do the Cougars Have What it Takes to Win as Road Underdogs?

BYU improved to 14-6 on the season with a 93-89 win over Baylor on Tuesday. The Cougars, who were -4 point favorites, pushed against the spread, while the game’s total points of 182 went well over the O/U line of 143.5.

BYU led 44-36 at halftime but allowed 42 points in the 2nd half, scoring 34 themselves. Despite the defensive lapse, they held on for the win.

Cougars Offense Breakdown

BYU's offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 93 points with a field goal percentage of 55.9% and an effective field goal percentage of 62.7%. They shot 65.8% from two-point range and hit 8 of 21 threes, good for 38.1%. At the free-throw line, they connected on 21 of 26 attempts, shooting 80.8%.

VJ Edgecombe led the way with 28 points, hitting 6 of 8 threes, while Kanon Catchings was perfect from the field, going 8 for 8 overall and 4 for 4 from deep, finishing with 23 points. Robert O. Wright III added 22 points and 6 assists, and Egor Demin also dished out 6 assists in the win.

Cougars Team Defense

BYU's defense struggled in their previous game, allowing 89 points on 55% shooting from the field. The Cougars gave up 33 field goals on 59 attempts, including a 65% shooting performance from inside the arc, where their opponent went 25/38.

From three-point range, BYU's opponent shot 38%, hitting 8 of their 21 attempts. The Cougars also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 26 times, where they converted 21 of those for 80%. Additionally, BYU allowed 11 offensive rebounds.

Knights Preview: Can UCF Live Up to the Hype at Home?

UCF Knights Recent Game/Games

The Knights fell to 13-7 on the season after a 91-87 road loss to Kansas on Tuesday. UCF entered the game as +13 point underdogs but managed to keep things closer than expected.

UCF led 43-41 at halftime but allowed 50 points in the second half while scoring 44. The game’s total points of 178 went over the pre-game O/U line of 151.5.

Knights Offense Breakdown

UCF put up 87 points in their last game, despite shooting just 38.7% from the field. They connected on 14 of 36 three-point attempts, hitting at a 38.9% clip, and were solid from the free-throw line, making 15 of 17 for 88.2%. The Knights also dished out 20 assists and grabbed 13 offensive rebounds.

Keyshawn Hall led the way with 34 points, hitting 5 of 7 from beyond the arc. Zeke Mayo and Hunter Dickinson each added 24 points, with Mayo knocking down 6 threes. Darius Johnson contributed 19 points, connecting on 5 of 8 from deep.

Knights Team Defense

UCF's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 91 points. They allowed the opposing team to shoot 43% from the field, with 28 made shots out of 64 attempts.

From three-point range, the other team hit 10 of 21 shots, a 47% success rate. UCF also sent them to the free-throw line 29 times, where they converted 25 free throws, shooting 86%.

Cougars vs Knights Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last ten games away from home, the Cougars have a straight up record of 2-8 while going 3-7 vs the spread. The team's offense averaged 70 points per game in these contests.
In their last five home games, UCF has averaged 86 points per game while allowing 91. The team's record in this stretch was 2-3 while going 4-1.
Going back to their previous five games as the underdog, BYU has an ATS mark of 2-3 while going 1-4 straight up.
In their last three games as the betting favorite, the Knights have a strong straight up record of 3-0. In addition, their ATS record was 2-1 in these scenarios.