The 13-3 (5-0) and #10 ranked Houston Cougars travel to sunny Orlando, Florida, on Saturday for an early matinee game against the 12-4 (3-2) UCF Knights in the “Space Game.” The Knights are one of those confusing teams to figure out. They have sometimes played well with wins over teams such as Texas A&M and Texas Tech. They looked horrible at other times against Kansas in a 51-point loss.

They are a very versatile team on offense, with several guys that can get buckets for them. In a win over Arizona State, Keyshawn Hall had 40 points in their last game. Darius Johnson is an outstanding outside shooter who has also made a living driving to the basket and getting to the free-throw line. Jordan Ivy-Curry is a three-level scoring guard who recently transferred from UTSA. Even the highly recruited Mikey Williams is starting to get comfortable and is earning more playing time as of late.

The issue for UCF tends to occur on the defense. They are often not connected on defense. Therefore, I am going with their five-star freshman GIANT Moustapha Thiam as my “Head of the Snake.” He is not close to being their best player, but like Magoon Gwath of San Diego State, he is a game-changer on defense because of his ability to block or affect shots. He is ranked #2 in the nation in blocked shots, with 35 this season. The Coogs must pull him out on defense in the pick-and-roll game to keep him away from the rim. With all of that said…he was OUT against Arizona State earlier this week and is questionable for Saturday, as he is recovering from the flu. Keyshawn Hall becomes the “Head of the Snake” if Thiam is out (he IS their best player).

UCF is a better team at home. They are a confident group looking to pull off a massive upset. The Golden Knights have not seen a defense as tough as what Houston will have for them on Saturday, and they do not play hard enough defense to slow down the Coogs. They played UH tough in Orlando last year, and a few returners would love payback for the embarrassing loss they suffered in Houston last season.

UCF National Rankings

• Net – #74; Houston Ranked #3
• Kenpom – #71; Houston Ranked #3
• AP Poll – #NR; Houston Ranked #10
• Coaches Poll – #NR; Houston Ranked #8

UCF Offensive Rankings (Top 50 in Nation)

#15 – Free Throws Made Per Game: 18.4

#29 – Free Throw Attempts Per Game: 23.9

#30 – Free Throw Percentage: 77.23%

Golden Knight Defensive Rankings (Top 50 in Nation)

#49 – Turnovers Forced Per Game: 14.56

UCF Offense Notes

• The Knights have several guys capable of scoring 20+ points in a game. Keyshawn Hall had 40 points in his last game against Arizona State.
• UCF is spectacular at getting in the paint and drawing fouls. They are in the top 30 in the nation in terms of free throw attempts, makes, and percentage. The Coogs can’t allow it to be an ugly game and let them shoot 20+ free throws.
• They are a good three-point shooting team at 33%. The Coogs will need to identify anyone who gets hot for them and look to take them away.

Golden Knight Defense Notes

• UCF may run a 2-2-1 full-court trap, zone defense. They will likely drop back into a half-court, 2-3, or 1-3-1 zone afterward.
• The Golden Knights like to play an aggressive full-court, 1-2-1-1 “Diamond” press, especially when they are losing and need to create chaos.
• They will likely run drop-coverage with Thiam in the game (if he plays) and keep him in the paint when the Coogs’ big men have the ball outside.
• UCF is great at turning teams over. They are ranked in the top 50 in the nation in forcing turnovers. The Coogs will need to take care of the ball and not allow them to get steals and fast-break opportunities.

UCF Personnel Report (* Indicates Probable Starters)

*#4 – Keshawn Hall – 6’7″ – JR – Guard/Forward – (UNLV/ George Mason) – 18ppg, 7rpg, 2.5apg.

• LEFTY;
• Long/athletic point-forward;
• Talented three-level scorer;
• Solid in the post when he has a mismatch; Left hand dominate in the paint;
• Outstanding three-point shooter;
• Not a huge fan of defense;

*#3 – Darius Johnson – 6’1″ – SR – Guard – 15ppg, 4rpg, 4apg, 3spg.

• Long time thee-level scoring point guard;
• Very solid three-point shooter;
• Great at getting to the basket to score or draw fouls;
• Top 50 National Rankings: #6 – Steals Per Game: 2.81;

*#0 – Jordan Ivy-Curry – 6’3″ – 5th – Guard – (Pacific/ UTSA) – 14ppg, 3rpg.

• Highly coveted transfer; Committed to Virginia Tech, then back out to go to UCF;
• Three-level scoring guard;
• Solid outside shooter; Leads the team in three-point attempts; 35/104 (34%);

*#52 – Moustapha Thiam – 7’2″ – FR – Center – 8ppg, 5rpg, 2.5 bpg.

• EXTREMELY long/athletic post player; First five-star signee in UCF history; Re-classified to the 2024 class; MASSIVE wing-span;
• Did not play against Arizona State (flu); Is questionable for Saturday;
• A game-changer in the post on defense for them; Top notch shot-blocker;
• Solid hook-shot with his right hand over his left shoulder;
• Capable of shooting outside of the paint, but is much better in the post; 4/15 (27%) from 3pt;
• Outstanding rebounder on both ends;
• Top 50 National Rankings: #2 – Blocks: 35; #12 – Blocks Per Game: 2.50;

*#6 – Dallan “Deebo” Coleman – 6’6″ – SR – Guard – (Georgia Tech) – 7ppg, 4rpg.

• Big-bodied guard;
• Solid outside shooter;

#5 – Benny Williams – 6’10” – SR – Forward – (Syracuse) – 6ppg, 3rpg.

• Tall/athletic post player;
• Will likely start if Thiam is out with the flu;
• Capable of shooting the three-pointer; 5/16 (31%); Best from the corner;
• Poor free-throw shooter (59%);
• He has a bad attitude; It could be worse. He could play for Syracuse.

#24 – Jaylin Sellers – 6’4″ – SR – Guard – (Ball State) – 6ppg, 1rpg.

• Was last year’s “Head of the Snake.” Super dangerous player if he is healthy and able to play;
• Still a really good player, but had a back injury in the off-season that has hampered him; Has only played in three games this season;
• Has not played since November 12; Is questionable for Saturday;
• Was UCF’s leading scorer last season (16ppg); Can really score in volume;

#1 – Mikey Williams – 6’3″ – RS/FR – Guard – (Memphis) – 3ppg, 1rpg.

• Highly touted recruit out of high school; Has had some…issues;
• Very athletic guard;
• Looks to bring a spark off the bench;
• Not really an outside threat; Best when getting in the paint to score or draw a foul; Solid two-dribble, pull-up shooter;

#2 – JJ Taylor – 6’8″ – SO – Forward – (Memphis) – 5ppg, 3rpg.

• Long/thin/athletic forward;
• Decent in the paint;
• They like to use his length and athleticism when full-court pressing;

#7 – Dior Johnson – 6’3″ – RS/SO – Guard – (Pitt/ Clarendon College) – 3ppg, 1rpg.

• Athletic guard;
• Best when driving to the basket;
• Solid free-throw shooter;

#35 – Rokas Jocius – 6’10” – JR – Forward – (La Salle) – 3ppg, 1rpg.

• LEFTY;
• Long/back-up post player;
• Not terrible around the basket;
• Capable of shooting the three, but it’s a risk I’d be willing to take;

Keys to Victory

1. Don’t let UCF shoot 20+ free throws. UCF is top-notch at drawing fouls and making their free throws. The Coogs will need tough but clean defense not to allow them to slow the game down and score without the clock running.
2. Take GREAT shots on offense. UCF gets undisciplined on defense when the ball moves. Keep driving and kicking or feeding the post and playing “inside-out” to take great shots.
3. Get the ball out of Darius Johnson’s hands. Johnson is their “little general.” I would not be surprised if the OG “little general” Avery Johnson calls the game on CBS Sports Network. He makes them go on offense and gets the ball in the right spot. He really deserves to play for a better program. I respect his game and the fact that he stuck around.
4. Don’t let Keyshawn Hall go off. When Hall gets hot, he gets HOT and is looking for a heat check on every possession. The Coogs allowed Javon Small of WVU to get hot in the first half and Amani Hansberry to get hot in the second half. It took them a while to adjust, to slow them down. They can’t do that if Keyshawn Hall gets hot. He is a super versatile and dangerous scorer.
5. Be the toughest team. I always say the toughest team wins. Conference games on the road are street fights. The building will be packed and rowdy. Last year, Antonio Brown was sitting court-side. The Barstool Sports “Storm Chasers” were in attendance. They all left disappointed. This year, UH will need the same result. It will need to be a “culture win.” First on the floor, taking charges, flying on defense, and owning the boards.