Jacksonville Dolphins vs UCF Knights Matchup

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

Jacksonville vs UCF Prediction

Looking to win big? The Dolphins and Knights face off at 6:00 ET on ESPN+. The Knights are hosting the game at Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, FL. The over/under for this non-conference contest is set at 142.5 points, with UCF being favored by -15.5 over Jacksonville.

Jacksonville vs. UCF Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Jacksonville Dolphins at UCF Knights
Where: Orlando at Addition Financial Arena
Date: Saturday, December 21st
Betting Odds UCF -15.5, JAX +800 | UCF -1400 O/U 142.5

Dolphins Preview: Will the Jacksonville Defense Show Up on the Road?

Jacksonville Dolphins Recent Game/Games

Jacksonville improved to 4-5 on the season with a 60-52 home win over East Tennessee State on Saturday. The Dolphins entered the game as +3 underdogs but pulled off the upset.

Jacksonville took control early, leading 36-24 at halftime, but their offense slowed in the 2nd half, scoring just 24 points while allowing 28. The game’s total points (112) fell well short of the O/U line of 148.

Dolphins Offense Breakdown

In their recent game, Jacksonville's offense put up 60 points, shooting 43.4% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 49.1%. They hit 51.5% of their two-point attempts (17/33) and connected on 30% from beyond the arc (6/20), while making 72.7% of their free throws (8/11). The Dolphins grabbed 10 offensive rebounds and dished out 8 assists.

Robert McCray V led the way with 22 points, shooting 53.3% overall, though he struggled from three, hitting just 1 of 6 attempts. Zimi Nwokeji was efficient, going 4/5 from deep and 5/6 overall, finishing with 15 points. John Buggs III also added 15 points, making 5 of 10 threes, and Quimari Peterson contributed 13 points and a team-high 5 assists.

Dolphins Team Defense

Despite giving up 52 points, Jacksonville's defense allowed their opponent to shoot 43% from the field, with 17 of those baskets coming from two-point range at a 51% clip.

From beyond the arc, Jacksonville's opponent shot 30%, hitting 6 of 20 attempts. They also went to the free-throw line 11 times, making 8 of those shots for a 72% free-throw percentage.

Knights Preview: Can the UCF Offense Score Enough at Home?

UCF improved to 8-2 on the season with an 88-75 road win over Tulsa on Saturday. The Knights, who entered the game as -10.5 favorites, covered the spread and picked up the win.

UCF led 45-39 at halftime and continued to control the game in the second half, outscoring Tulsa 43-36. The total points for the game were 163, surpassing the O/U line of 143.5.

Knights Offense Breakdown

UCF's offense put up 88 points in their latest game, shooting 46.3% from the field and 36.4% from beyond the arc. Their effective field goal percentage was 52.2%, and they connected on 75% of their free throws, going 18-for-24 from the line.

Keaston Willis led the way with 22 points, hitting 6-of-9 threes, while Dwon Odom and Dallan Coleman each added 20 points. Odom also dished out 7 assists, and Coleman grabbed 9 rebounds. The Knights recorded 19 assists as a team and pulled down 15 offensive rebounds.

Knights Team Defense

UCF's defense gave up 75 points in this one, with the opposing team shooting 42% from the field on 24 of 57 attempts. They held them to 41% shooting on two-pointers, where the other team went 15 for 36.

From beyond the arc, the other team shot 42%, hitting 9 of 21 threes. UCF also sent them to the line 26 times, where they converted 18 free throws for 69%. On the boards, UCF allowed 12 offensive rebounds.

Dolphins vs Knights Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last ten games away from home, the Dolphins have a straight up record of 3-7 while going 5-5 vs the spread. The team's offense averaged 72 points per game in these contests.
In their last three games at home, the Knights have a straight up record of 1-2 while going 1-2 vs the spread. The team's offense averaged 86 points per game in these contests.
In their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Dolphins have a straight up record of 5-5 and an ATS mark of 7-3.
As the betting favorite, the Knights have an ATS record of 2-1 in their last three games. In these matchups, their straight up record was 3-0.