The No. 12 Cincinnati Bearcats (15-2, 4-0 AAC) travel to UCF to take on the Knights (12-5, 3-2 AAC) in a matchup that pits phenomenal offense against tremendous defense. The game starts at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday, January 16, 2018, and will air on CBS Sports Network.
Cincinnati is a 6.5-point favorite on the opening line, while the Over/Under (O/U) for the game opened at 119 points.
Cincinnati Bearcats at UCF Knights ATS Prediction
The last time the Bearcats played, they thoroughly outplayed the South Florida Bulls, 78-55. The Bearcats made 27 of their 31 free throws (87.1 percent) and had a turnover percentage of 12.4 (better than their season average of 15.8). Gary Clark led the way for Cincinnati, putting up 10 points and 10 rebounds.
The Knights fell to the Connecticut Huskies in their last contest, 62-53. One of Connecticut’s biggest strengths was their ability to convert at the free throw line. They were 20-21 (95.2 percent), while the Knights were 10-12 (83.3 percent). With 13 points on 5-for-12 shooting, Ceasar DeJesus was UCF’s high scorer.
The ineffective offense of UCF will face off against the stingy defense of Cincinnati. The Knights rank 311th in offensive efficiency, while the Bearcats are second in defensive efficiency. The Bearcats should have the edge on that side of the ball.
Cincinnati heads into the game with records of 15-2 straight up (SU) and 8-6 against the spread (ATS). Of the Bearcats’ 13 games that accepted bets, eight have finished under the total.
Meanwhile, UCF is 12-5 SU and 9-3 ATS. Coinciding with Cincinnati, games including the Knights also have typically gone under the total (91.7 percent).
After splitting two games last season, this will be the first matchup of the year between these two teams. The Knights won the most recent game 53-49. UCF’s effective field goal percentage was its biggest strength over Cincinnati. The Knights had a rate of 0.448 while the Bearcats posted a mark of 0.361.
Cincinnati Bearcats at UCF Knights Betting Pick
Predictions: SU Winner – Cincinnati, ATS Winner – UCF, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Notes:
On the road, Cincinnati is 4-4 ATS with 6 unders and 2 overs.
UCF is 4-1 ATS at home with 4 unders and 1 over.
Cincinnati ranks 29th in assists per game (17.1) while UCF ranks 229th (11.4).
The Bearcats average 8.3 steals per game, which ranks 24th in the NCAA. The Knights rank 159th in steals allowed per game (7.3).
Cincinnati ranks 21st in blocks per game (5.5) while UCF ranks 147th in blocks allowed per game (4.4).
The Bearcats rank 187th in three pointers attempted per game (20.5) while the Knights rank 266th (15.9).
Cincinnati ranks 29th in rebounds per game (40.1) while UCF ranks 70th (37.9).
Bettings Trends:
In their last five games, Cincinnati is 3-2 ATS with 3 overs and 2 unders.
UCF is 4-1 ATS with 5 unders over their last five games.
The Bearcats’ average margin of victory in their last five games has been 19.6, down from 20.6 for the season.
During their last five games, the Knights have scored an average of 57.6 points per game (7.0 below their season average) and allowed an average of 50.4 points per game (8.7 below their season average).
