Knights aim to extend momentum against struggling Sun Devils. UCF's sharpshooters eye another explosive offensive performance.
Tip-off: 7:00 p.m.
Where: Addition Financial Arena
TV: ESPN+
Story: The Knights (15-4, 4-3, Big 12) got back on track with a road win last Saturday over Colorado. Arizona State (11-9, 2-5 Big 12) has struggled this season and recently had a viral social media clip to add to the disappointment. Arizona State head coach Bobby Hurley recently sounded desolate in postgame conferences, saying things like "Its hard to see a lot of light" when talking about the Sun Devils' struggles. UCF will look to keep the pressure on, while riding a hot hand from beyond the arc. Against Colorado, the Knights shot over 60% from 3-point range.
Projected UCF Starting Five:
G Themus Fulks: 13.9 PTS 3.1 REBS 7.3 ASTS
G Riley Kugel: 15.0 PTS 3.3 REBS 2.7 ASTS
F Jordan Burks: 12.4 PTS 4.3 REBS 0.6 ASTS
F Jamichael Stillwell: 12.4 PTS 7.9 REBS 1.8 ASTS
C John Bol: 5.2 PTS 4.7 REBS 0.3 ASTS
- Riley Kugel and Themus Fulks combined for 41 points against Colorado in UCF's last outing, leading the Knights to a 95-86 victory
Projected Arizona State Starting Five:
G Maurice "Mo" Odom: 17.2 PTS 3.1 REBS 6.6 ASTS
G Bryce Ford: 7.9 PTS 2.1 REBS 0.8 ASTS
F Santiago Trouet: 7.7 PTS 5.6 REBS 0.9 ASTS
F Andrija Grbović: 7.1 PTS 3.0 REBS 0.5 ASTS
C Massamba Diop: 13.8 PTS 5.8 REBS 1.1 ASTS
- Mo Odom led the Sun Devils to an 82-66 victory over Cincinnati in their last outing, scoring 33 points and adding eight dimes. UCF will need to find him on the defensive end and prevent him from getting comfortable early in the game.
Building Momentum:
Ahead of another tough two-game slate, UCF welcomes Arizona State to town. The Knights will need to build momentum going into back-to-back match-ups with No. 11 Texas Tech and No. 10 Houston.
On the other hand, Arizona State will look to start its first win streak in conference play. The Sun Devils also have a tough game ahead, as they will travel to No. 1 Arizona this weekend.
Betting Odds (DraftKings): UCF -8.5, O/U 164.5
Prediction: UCF tallies another win, cruising to a double-digit victory. I think Riley Kugel will score 20+ points, as the Sun Devils don't have a great match-up for him. UCF can also out-physical an Arizona State team that doesn't have a lot of size or depth.
Score: UCF 90 - ASU 74