UCF vs No. 19 BYU Preview, Odds, Predictions (Feb. 24)

• The Knights have won their last two games in league play.
• The Cougars jumped up four spots in the latest AP poll.
• This marks the fifth all-time matchup between the two Big 12 squads.

The Big 12 is set for an interesting showdown on Feb. 24 when the No. 19 BYU Cougars host the UCF Knights. The hosts stand tall as the dominant favorite, paving the way for factors to play in effect as the better team will emerge on the court.

How to Watch

• When: Tuesday, Feb. 24, 11 pm ET
• Where: Marriott Center, Provo, Utah
• How to Watch: ESPN2

NCAA Matchup Odds & Lines

Game Preview

The Knights (19-7, 8-6 Big 12) remain competitive in the upper bracket of the conference standings, competing with BYU, Texas Tech and Iowa State. Losing three straight games to Houston, Cincinnati and West Virginia, UCF bounced back with wins over TCU and Utah. Themus Fulks has quickly established himself as UCF’s floor general, ranking second in the Big 12 and 13th nationally with 6.7 assists per game (174 assists) across 26 games. Meanwhile, Jamichael Stillwell looks to be active on the glass. He ranks third in the Big 12 and 29th nationally with 3.25 offensive rebounds per game this season.

The No. 19 Cougars (20-7, 8-6 Big 12) are in an intriguing spot this season, being without star player Richie Saunders (torn ACL) for the rest of the campaign. Despite the significant loss, they pulled off a remarkable upset over the Iowa State Cyclones this past weekend. AJ Dybantsa dominated the Cyclones throughout the matchup, finishing with a game-high 29 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. The star freshman went 10-of-17 from the field, 2-of-4 from three and 7-of-9 from the free throw line. On another note, Keba Keita will look to be physical on the glass, producing 6.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per game.

UCF vs BYU Head-to-Head

The two programs have had four meetings in their history, and the result is 4-0 for the Cougars. The last matchup was in February 2025 when BYU won 81-75 at home.

UCF vs BYU Predictions

It’s clear that BYU remains talented without Richie Saunders’ services, seeing AJ Dybantsa take over the responsibilities as the top star. UCF possesses a solid squad that can put the Cougars in tough spots. However, BYU has ambitions to pursue an At-Large bid to the NCAA Tournament, something that Dybantsa will make sure they see through it. If UCF can’t contain his production, then the hosts will coast to a solid win. Our betting pick here is the Cougars to defend a 13.5-point spread.

• Free NCAAB pick: BYU Cougars -13.5