The BYU Cougars take on the UCF Knights in Orlando, Florida. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
UCF is favored by 1 point on the spread with a moneyline of -130. The total is set at 157.5 points.
Here are my BYU vs. UCF predictions and college basketball picks for February 1, 2025.
BYU vs UCF Prediction
My Pick: UCF -1 (Play to -2)
My BYU vs UCF best bet is on the Knights spread, with the best odds currently available at DraftKings. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
BYU vs UCF Odds
| BYU Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1 -110 | 157.5 -108o / -112u | +110 |
| UCF Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1 -110 | 157.5 -108o / -112u | -130 |
- BYU vs UCF spread: UCF -1
- BYU vs UCF over/under: 157.5 points
- BYU vs UCF moneyline: UCF -130, BYU +110
- BYU vs UCF best bet: UCF -1 (Play to -2)
Spread
My best bet for this Big 12 battle is to back UCF laying points at home. The Knights find themselves in a good spot here and can match up well enough to emerge victorious.
Moneyline
You can take moneyline in this spot too.
Over/Under
I don't have a pick for the total in this game.
My Pick: UCF -1 (Play to -2)
BYU vs UCF College Basketball Betting Preview
Let's dive into this Big 12 battle where both teams have some interesting dynamics at play.
UCF is sitting right on the bubble and could definitely use a win. It's going up against a BYU team that just had a tiring overtime victory over Baylor and is about to face Arizona on Monday.
Traveling to the East can be tricky for the Cougars, who also tend to struggle on the road. They rank 353rd in Haslametrics' away-from-home metric and have only one road win against Colorado while losing to Houston, Providence, Utah and TCU all on the road.
On the other side, UCF has really hit its stride this January. The Knights cracked the top 20 in adjusted offensive efficiency and hold the 21st spot in momentum.
This means they could frustrate BYU's defense in a variety of ways, whether it comes off the dribble or from long range since BYU’s defense isn’t particularly athletic or disciplined.
UCF doesn’t focus much on attacking the rim or getting to the line, which is where BYU's defense tries to clamp down.
Interestingly, the Knights have also been navigating the toughest schedule in the Big 12, while BYU has had a relatively easy ride. Looking at UCF's league losses, they were close games against tough teams like Kansas, Iowa State and Arizona with a narrow loss by one at home against Houston.
Plus, the Knights have notched wins at Texas Tech and at home against Colorado and TCU.
UCF's pressure defense could cause problems for BYU, even though UCF's transition defense has been weak. However, the Cougars aren't great on the break either.
The Knights excel at limiting 3-point attempts, a crucial strategy against BYU, which relies heavily on 3-point shooting. This matchup pits BYU's No. 1 3-point attempt offense against UCF’s No. 1 defense in limiting those attempts.
UCF also likes to push the pace on offense, while BYU struggles with transition defense.
When the Knights do play in the half-court, they rely on a lot of isolation through Keyshawn Hall, Darius Johnson and Jordan Ivy-Curry. That's another plus for UCF because BYU's half-court defense hasn’t been overly impressive either, ranking in the 19th percentile, per Synergy.
All signs point to a favorable matchup for UCF. BYU hasn't been the same team on the road, so I’ll put my money on the Knights at home.
