Who’s Playing
UCF @ Houston
Current Records: UCF 15-8; Houston 20-4
What to Know
The #14 Houston Cougars are 10-2 against the UCF Knights since February of 2016, and they’ll have a chance to extend that success on Thursday. Houston and UCF will face off in an American Athletic battle at 9 p.m. ET at Fertitta Center. The Cougars are expected to win again but are hoping to meet expectations this time.
Houston entered their matchup against the Memphis Tigers on Saturday without any home losses — but there’s a first time for everything. Houston took a 69-59 hit to the loss column. One thing holding Houston back was the mediocre play of guard Kyler Edwards, who did not have his best game: he played for 32 minutes but put up just nine points on 2-for-10 shooting.
Meanwhile, the Knights beat the Tulsa Golden Hurricane 76-67 on Monday. Four players on UCF scored in the double digits: guard Brandon Mahan (17), guard Darius Johnson (14), guard Darius Perry (12), and guard Darin Green Jr. (11).
This next game looks promising for the Cougars, who are favored by a full 13.5 points. Now might not be the best time to take Houston against the spread since they’ve let down bettors for the past two consecutive games.
UCF’s win lifted them to 15-8 while Houston’s defeat dropped them down to 20-4. Brandon Mahan will be someone to keep an eye on after he shot 5-for-6 from downtown and finished with 17 points and five boards on Monday. Let’s see if he can build on that strong performance or if Houston’s defense can bottle him up.
How To Watch
- When: Thursday at 9 p.m. ET
- Where: Fertitta Center — Houston, Texas
- TV: ESPN2
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Ticket Cost: $6.00
Odds
The Cougars are a big 13.5-point favorite against the Knights, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 13.5-point spread, and stayed right there.
Over/Under: -110
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Series History
Houston have won ten out of their last 12 games against UCF.
- Jan 29, 2022 – Houston 63 vs. UCF 49
- Jan 17, 2021 – Houston 75 vs. UCF 58
- Dec 26, 2020 – Houston 63 vs. UCF 54
- Jan 03, 2020 – Houston 78 vs. UCF 63
- Mar 02, 2019 – UCF 69 vs. Houston 64
- Feb 07, 2019 – Houston 77 vs. UCF 68
- Mar 09, 2018 – Houston 84 vs. UCF 56
- Feb 03, 2018 – Houston 69 vs. UCF 65
- Feb 01, 2017 – Houston 82 vs. UCF 64
- Jan 14, 2017 – UCF 77 vs. Houston 70
- Feb 24, 2016 – Houston 88 vs. UCF 61
- Feb 13, 2016 – Houston 82 vs. UCF 58
Injury Report for Houston
- Marcus Sasser: Out for the Season (Toe)
- Tramon Mark: Out for the Season (Shoulder)
- Kiyron Powell: Out for the Season (Not Injury Related)
Injury Report for UCF
- Sean Mobley: Game-Time Decision (Personal)
- Tony Johnson Jr.: Game-Time Decision (Personal)
