While it was pretty close late, Cincinnati rode out the storm in their first Big 12 Tournament game against Utah and now advances to take on UCF later today. The game is massive for both programs as both sit on the bubble, with UCF in the field and Cincinnati on the outside looking in, per Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology. The matchup between No. 8 UCF and No. 9 Cincinnati tips off on Wednesday, March 11th at 2:00 PM CT. Here’s a preview, prediction, key storylines, and updated odds to keep an eye on in this matchup as we get set for today’s game.
UCF vs. Cincinnati Basketball Updated Odds
The sports betting lines for the game opened up in favor of Cincinnati -2.5. As for the point total, it sits at an over-under of 148.0. By Wednesday morning, the spread was unchanged, while the over/under moved down slightly to 147.5 total points.
Key Storyline: Bubble vs. Bubble
Perhaps the game with the biggest NCAA Tournament implications, Cincinnati vs. UCF, is going to be must-see TV. The UCF Knights currently sit on the good side of the bubble, but aren’t considered a lock by any means. They are in the projected tournament field by three teams, and a loss in their first outing could be catastrophic. As for Cincinnati, they sit at No. 73 (prior to the update after the Utah win) and are inching closer and closer to the Field of 68. With a win for Cincinnati, they’d be a tough team to keep out of the field, and it would be awfully hard to drop UCF out entirely.
Match Up to Watch: UCF Offense vs. Cincinnati Defense
It should go without saying that this game is going to come down to who wins between UCF’s offense and Cincinnati’s defense. The Bearcats are elite defensively, surrendering the fourth-fewest points of anyone in the Big 12 at 67.7 PPG. Offensively, UCF is a middle-of-the-pack unit posting 79.9 PPG. In the first matchup between these two, Cincinnati got the best of the Knights in a big way, winning 92-76. They had five different scorers reach double figures, and UCF had no answer for the Bearcats’ attack.
Prediction: Cincinnati 76, UCF 74
Alright, maybe this is speaking into existence, but I believe this game will be close, and both teams will sneak into the NCAA Tournament field. After their game against Utah, I expect Cincinnati to clean things up a bit, and UCF is entering the game off a bye, which can be troublesome for some units. I like the front-court advantage Cincinnati has with Baba Miller and former Knight Moustapha Thiam. Give me the Bearcats to keep this thing rolling!
