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Two newcomers in the Big 12 Conference, the UCF Knights and the Houston Cougars, will face off on Wednesday at the Addition Financial Arena. It’s been a scintillating run for the Cougars (26-3) in their debut Big 12 season, and they are on course to become the conference champions. They face a tricky test, playing the Knights (15-13), hoping not to slip up with the Iowa State Cyclones closely behind. Will the Cougars maintain their lead at the top of the table or fail the test against the Knights?
The UCF Knights
The UCF Knights (6-12, Big 12) have struggled in the season and sit among the bottom teams on the log. After back-to-back wins against the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Oklahoma State Cowboys, they lost their last game to the Iowa State Cyclones on home court. One could have easily predicted the loss before the game as it was against a contender for the Big 12 Conference championship title.
Expectedly, the Cyclones won 60-52. Although the Knights lost by a point in the second half, the 36-29 defeat in the first was more than enough to do the damage. Johnny Dawkins will be hoping his team can finish the season on a high, and the game against the Houston Cougars might be one of those they might need to go all out for.
The Houston Cougars
The Houston Cougars (13-3, Big 12) can’t afford to put their feet off the pedal at this point in the season. Coming from a seven-game winning streak and 6-3 on the road, this a must-win game before their final Big 12 regular season match against the Kansas Jayhawks. The last time they lost a game was on the road against the Jayhawks. Since then, Kelvin Sampson has crossed every hurdle that has come his way, including their hard-fought victory against the Oklahoma Sooners in their previous game. Their first-half 48-45 win was just enough to help them secure a two-point win over the Sooners following a 40-39 loss in the second half.
J’wan Roberts and LJ Cryer made the difference in the contest, scoring 20 and 23 points, respectively. With these two on top of their game when they visit the CFE Arena, UCF might find it tough to stop the Cougars from extending their winning streak to 8.
Head-to-Head UCF vs Cougars
This matchup is one of the NCAAB features of the night that bettors are looking forward to. Before placing your bets, be aware that the Cougars have recorded a clean sweep in the last five meetings between the two sides, winning all five. The most recent is the 57-42 win at the Hofheinz Pavilion. Like he has been performing all season, LJ Cryer led his team to this victory, recording 16 points, two rebounds and two assists.
