ORLANDO – Coming off its first conference win of the season, the UCF men's basketball team is set for the first round of the War On I-4 Rivalry Series on Saturday, presented by SeaWorld Orlando. The Knights host South Florida at 6 p.m. with coverage on ESPNU and FM 96.9 The Game.
The Knights (10-7, 1-4) snapped their five-game losing streak on Tuesday, defeating Tulane on the road by a score of 74-55. UCF led wire-to-wire and held the Green Wave to just 17 points in the first half, the lowest point total in a half by a Knights' opponent since 2018.
Senior guard Dazon Ingram led the team with 15 points, had a career-high 16 rebounds, and dished out seven assists, which also matched his career high. It was Ingram's third double-double as a Knight.
Although UCF trails South Florida 17-22 in the all-time series, the Knights have won each of the last eight meetings against the Bulls, sweeping the season series every season since 2015-16.
The Bulls are coming off a 68-64 home loss against Memphis in which they led nearly the entire game. South Florida looks to defeat the Knights on the road and return to the win column. David Collins leads the Bulls in scoring with 15.1 points per game.
GAME INFO
Date: Saturday, Jan. 18
Time: 6 p.m. ET
TV: ESPNU
Radio: FM 96.9 The Game
SETTING THE SCENE
- The UCF men's basketball team had a successful non-conference season, going 9-3 overall, but dropped its first four games of American Athletic Conference play before defeating Tulane on Tuesday.
- The Knights had lost five straight games overall prior to the win over the Green Wave, the longest losing streak for the team since losing seven straight games from Feb. 6 to Feb. 27 in 2016.
- UCF looks to make it back-to-back wins with a victory over rival South Florida on Saturday.
THE WAR ON I-4
- South Florida holds a 22-17 advantage over UCF in the all-time series, which dates back to 1972 when the Bulls won 115-96 in Tampa.
- The Bulls won the first three meetings, before the Knights earned their first victory in the series, a 75-74 triumph in Orlando on Nov. 30, 1974.
- UCF holds a slight 9-8 advantage in games played in Orlando and have won each of the last eight meetings between the two teams.
- The last time South Florida defeated UCF was March 4, 2015 in Tampa.
HISTORY OF THE RIVALRY SERIES
- UCF and South Florida made their rivalry official prior to the start of the 2016-17 season, competing head-to-head for points in every sport both schools offer.
- The Knights have won each of the first three series, winning 51-33 in 2016-17, 49-35 in 2017-18, and 70-14 in 2018-19.
- UCF currently leads the 2019-20 series 24-6 and the men's basketball team looks to do its part on Saturday, where three more points are up for grabs.
LAST SEASON AGAINST THE BULLS
- UCF has swept the season series against South Florida in each of the last four seasons.
- Last year, the Knights won 78-65 in Orlando on Feb. 13 and then 75-63 in Tampa on Feb. 27.
- In the home victory, Tacko Fall led UCF with 21 points and nine rebounds as four Knights scored in double figures.
- David Collins scored a team-high 20 points in the loss.
- In UCF's win in Tampa, it was again Fall leading the way, scoring at team-high 18 points.
- It was Justin Brown leading the Bulls in that one, putting up 15 points on 3-of-3 shooting from beyond the arc.
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