Knights surge toward March Madness, projected as a ten seed. Dominant play and a tough Big 12 schedule pave their path.
After a dominant 11-1 start to the season, the Knights are poised to do something that they haven't done in seven years - make it to the Big Dance. Currently, according to ESPN's resident "bracketologist" Joe Lunardi, UCF is projected to be a ten seed in this year's March Madness tournament.
In the last rendition of Bracketology, Lunardi projected UCF as "the last team in," having to play a "win and your in" game as an eleven seed. However, since then, UCF has taken care of business, puicking up wins against Mercer, Florida Gulf Coast and most recently Florida Atlantic.
Ironically, them current projection shows UCF matching up with former Knight standout Keyshawn Hall and the Auburn Tigers. Hall, a senior forward, led the Big 12 in scoring last season averaging 18.8 points per game.
This season, Hall has increased his scoring to 20.3 points per contest while also hauling in 8.3 rebounds per game. He is the only player in the SEC to be top-5 in both of these categories.
According to TeamRankings, the Knights have a 57% chance of making the tournament. This is higher than a lot of big time programs such as Wisconsin, LSU and Texas.
With eleven wins, UCF is aiming to stack enough conference victories to earn an at-large bid. Many analysts, such as B.J. Taylor, believe that if UCF can get to the magic number of 20, they are definitely in.
That path, of course, is easier said than done. The Big 12 remains one of the most competitive leagues in college basketball, boasting multiple teams projected to make the tournament and several ranked squads on the schedule, including Arizona, who is the No. 1 team in the country.
For UCF, consistency will be key. Protecting home court at Addition Financial Arena and stealing a couple of road victories could be the difference between sitting comfortably in the field and sweating out Selection Sunday.
Head coach Johnny Dawkins also has a lot on the line as he has only brought the Knights to the Big Dance once in his ten years at the helm. But, he has his team poised for a strong start after ending the non-conference schedule with ten straight victories - the seventh-longest winning streak in the country.
If UCF sustains this momentum and navigates Big 12 play, the Knights could punch their ticket — and return to March with something to prove.