ORLANDO (UCFKnights.com) – After knocking off UConn for the first time since 2011, the UCF men's basketball team returns to CFE Arena Saturday for another critical American Athletic Conference contest. The Knights host Houston at noon on ESPNU.
UCF (14-7, 5-4) comes into the weekend tied for fourth in the league standings with nine games remaining on the schedule. The Cougars (16-5, 6-3), meanwhile, are just one game ahead of the Knights. A win on Saturday would move UCF up to a tie with Houston for third in The American.
This is familiar territory for the Knights, who with nine games remaining in last season's historic campaign, held an overall record of 14-7 and a conference mark of 5-4. Just like this year, UCF played Houston in its 22nd game of the season.
This year's Knights will look to one-up last season's counterpart by defeating the Cougars to improve to 15-7 and 6-4. In early February of 2017, UCF fell to Houston 82-64 at Hofheinz Arena, splitting the season series, and falling to 14-8 and 5-5 in league play.
Houston comes to Orlando having won four of its last six games, with victories over Tulsa, ECU, Wichita State and USF. During that span the Cougars fell at Tulane and most recently at Cincinnati, giving up a double-digit lead to lose 80-70.
Saturday sets up to be another battle of point guards, as B.J. Taylor and Rob Gray were both Preseason First Team All-Conference honorees.
Taylor, who has been back for just four games, scored 25 points in the win at USF and put up 20 in the win over UConn on Wednesday. Gray, meanwhile, ranks second in the league with 18.3 points per game and fifth in The American with 4.2 assists per game.
GAME INFO
Date: Saturday, Feb. 3
Time: 12 p.m. ET
TV: ESPNU
Radio: 96.9 FM/740 AM The Game
Live Stats: http://ucfknights.co/MBBLiveStats1718
NOTES TO KNOW
- Houston leads the all-time series by a mark of 12-10.
- The Knights are 9-2 at home this season with losses to Missouri and Cincinnati.
- Last season UCF and Houston split the season series.
- B.J. Taylor has scored in double figures in the last three games, totaling 12 assists and just two turnovers.
- A.J. Davis is second in the league with 8.0 rebounds per game.
- UCF is third in the nation, holding opponents to 60.2 points per game.
- Houston's Rob Gray is second in The American in scoring and fifth in assists.
CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE GAME NOTES - HOUSTON
PROMOTION TO KNOW
- Baseball season is almost upon us! The UCF baseball team will hold its annual Fan Fest Saturday from 10am-12pm at CFE Arena Plaza.
SEASON TICKETS
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.
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