Knights aim for a third upset, facing freshman scoring leader AJ Dybantsa and a talented BYU squad on the road.
Game time: 11 p.m.
Where: Marriott Center; Provo, Utah
TV/Radio: ESPN2/96.9 FM The Game
VITALS: The UCF Knights (19-7, 8-6 Big 12) are ending their two-game road trip in Provo against the No. 19 Brigham Young Cougars (20-7, 8-6 Big 12). UCF is on a two-game winning streak, with its last coming down to game-winning free throws from guard Themus Fulks to defeat the Utah Utes (73-71). However, they face a tough challenge with BYU and its star freshman AJ Dybantsa. Dybantsa leads the nation in scoring with 24.9 points, and dropped 29 points in the Cougars' victory over No. 6 Iowa State.
Betting odds, courtesy of USA Today:
Spread: UCF +12.5, BYU -12.5
Moneyline: UCF +635, Utah -885
Over/under: 161.5 total points
DISCLAIMER: If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER
KEY UCF PLAYERS
G Riley Kugel: 14 PTS, 3.2 REBS and 2.7 ASTS on 40.9 FG%, 78.4 FT% and 38.1 3P%
G Themus Fulks: 14 PTS, 3 REBS and 6.7 ASTS on 47.7 FG%, 79.3 FT% and 43.2 3P%
G Chris Johnson: 6.4 PTS, 1.2 REBS and 1.9 ASTS on 45.2 FG%, 72.4 FT% and 38.5 3P%
F Jamichael Stillwell: 11.9 PTS, 7.8 REBS and 2 ASTS on 52.9 FG%, 72.4 FT% and 32.3 3P%
F Jordan Burks: 13 PTS and 4.3 REBS on 45.3 FG%, 83.5 FT% and 38.7 3P%
KEY UCF STATS
SCORING OFFENSE: 81.4 POINTS/GAME (7th in Big 12)
- 47.4 FG% (5th in Big 12)
- 37.4 3P% (3rd in Big 12)
- 75 FT% (5th in Big 12)
- 16 ASTS (6th in Big 12)
- 12.3 OREBS (5th in Big 12)
SCORING DEFENSE: 77.2 POINTS/GAME (11th in Big 12)
- 46 FG% (14th in Big 12)
- 33.4 3P% (8th in Big 12)
- 73.5 FT% (14th in Big 12)
- 14.4 ASTS (11th in Big 12)
- 9.5 OREBS (2nd in Big 12)
QUOTE: "Well, I want our guys to enjoy this game," Coach Johnny Dawkins said after defeating Utah. "Because winning against the league is hard and so I want them to enjoy it for this evening, and then we have to move on and we have to start preparing for BYU, another really talented team playing well. So, we need to make sure that we start giving all of our attention to them. But, as we know, every single game is going to be very tough and challenging."
UCF KNIGHTS AIM TO ADD THIRD UPSET VICTORY, ACHIEVE BACK-TO-BACK 20-WIN SEASONS
UCF is 2-3 in games against top-25 teams — the two wins against then-No. 17 Kansas and then-No. 11 Texas Tech — and Tuesday's final game presents the team with one more opportunity to add an upset to its resume.
A victory against the Cougars also cements back-to-back 20-win seasons for the Knights. UCF would also tie the 2019 team as the fastest to reach 20 wins, which occurred on Feb. 24.
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