ORLANDO (UCFKnights.com) – Last season, the UCF men's basketball team hosted then No. 15 Cincinnati on Senior Night and defeated the Bearcats for the first time ever, igniting a historic run to the NIT Final Four. Now Cincinnati is back – and ranked 13th in the nation as of Monday morning – as the two teams square off at CFE Arena Tuesday night.
The win over the Bearcats last season was part of a five-game win streak to end the regular season for the Knights, catapulting UCF to the fourth seed in the American Athletic Conference Tournament. The loss for Cincinnati prevented the Bearcats from taking a share of the regular season title and pushed them to the number two seed in the conference tournament.
It was UCF's fourth ever win over a nationally ranked team and the first since 2011. The Knights have since added one more victory over a Top 25 team to that list, defeating then No. 24 Alabama on the road back on December 3.
UCF (12-5, 3-2) comes in ready to play spoiler again. Having won eight of their last 10 games, and recording a near perfect 8-1 mark at home, the Knights are ready for the challenge a team like Cincinnati brings to the table.
The Bearcats (15-2, 4-0) are unbeaten in league play, having played three common opponents so far. Cincinnati defeated Memphis 82-48, won at Temple 55-53, and took down SMU by a score of 76-56 to extend its win streak to eight games going into Tuesday's matchup.
On Tuesday, the Knights will look for their second win against the Bearcats and their second in a row. UCF and Cincinnati will tip-off at 7 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
GAME INFO
Date: Tuesday, Jan. 16
Time: 7 p.m.
TV: CBS Sports Network
Radio: 96.9 FM/740 AM The Game
Live Stats: ucfknights.co/MBBLiveStats1718
NOTES TO KNOW
- Cincinnati holds an 8-1 advantage over UCF in the all-time series.
- The Knights' only win was last season, when UCF defeated No. 15 Cincinnati 53-49.
- UCF has won eight of its last 10 games and.
- A.J. Davis leads The American with 8.5 rebounds per game.
- Tacko Fall is second in the nation with a .768 field goal percentage and leads the league with 2.0 blocked shots per game.
- UCF is third in the nation, holding opponents to 59.1 points per game.
- Ceasar DeJesus has won the last two American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week honors, scoring in double figures each of the last four games.
- The Knights are 11-0 when scoring 60 points this season.
CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE GAME NOTES – CINCINNATI
NATIONAL CHAMPIONS HOOPLA EVENT
Tuesday night will serve as another celebration of the UCF football team's national championship season.
- Photo stations with trophies from 2017 and years past
- Appearance by the UCF football team and special halftime presentation
- Limited Edition Perfect Season scorecard giveaway (Only available at this game)
- Knightmare T-Shirt giveaway for first 500 students
- Special Jr. Knights Program for the game with a Peach Bowl rally flag prize (First 200 kids)
- National Champion T-Shirt tosses throughout the game
SEASON TICKETS
Season tickets for the 2017-18 campaign are on sale now. Fans looking to purchase tickets can call (407) 823-1000 or visit UCFKnights.com to secure them today. For men's basketball tickets CLICK HERE.
GET THE APP
Never miss any UCF Knights news from your favorite team by downloading the free UCF Knights app right to your iOS or Android phone! The app provides personalized information for men's and women's teams, scores, schedules, loyalty programs and even breaking news.