The UCF Golden Knights earned a one-point win in the opening round of the College Basketball Crown, and they find themselves in a tough matchup against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the second round.
Cincinnati easily discarded DePaul by 22 points in the first round, riding a balanced attack that featured six different players in double figures.
Boise State and Nebraska have already punched their ticket to the semifinals on Saturday, and oddsmakers have Cincinnati favored to do so in this matchup. So, who should we bet on?
Here’s a look at the odds, players to watch and my prediction for the second round of the College Basketball Crown on Thursday.
Spread
Moneyline
Total
UCF
Darius Johnson: The Golden Knights have lost their leading scorer from this season, Keyshawn Hall, as he transferred to Auburn. So, Darius Johnson (16.7 points per game, 15 against Oregon State), appears to be next in line to carry the load on offense. He was one of four players in double figures for UCF in the first round.
Cincinnati
Day Day Thomas: In the first round against DePaul, Thomas finished with 13 points, five rebounds and five assists. A 38.8 percent 3-points shooter this season, Thomas is the third-leading scorer for the Bearcats and second on the team in assists per game. He’s easily their most efficient option from beyond the arc as well.
All season long, UCF’s calling card was its elite offense, but that is diminished with Hall no longer with the program.
UCF ranked 57th in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency, and it was 52nd in the country in points per game. The problem for the Golden Knights? They allowed more than 80 points per game – good for 345th in the country.
That’s going to be a major issue against a Cincinnati team that blew out DePaul and ranks 26th in the country in opponent points per game. The Bearcats have a pretty balanced attack, and I expect them to slow down the UCF attack with Hall out of the picture.
UCF struggled with Oregon State – the No. 80 team in KenPom – and I’m worried that it won’t be able to hang with the Bearcats (51st in KenPom) in this second round clash.
Pick: Cincinnati -6.5 (-105 at BetMGM)
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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