K-State Wildcats at UCF Knights: Big 12 basketball game time, TV, odds and prediction
The Kansas State men’s basketball team will try to stop a three-game losing skid when it takes on UCF at 6 p.m. on Wednesday at Addition Financial Arena.
Here’s everything you need to know before tipoff, including a score prediction:
When: 6 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Addition Financial Arena in Orlando
Stream: ESPN+
Radio: KCSP (610 AM) in Kansas City, KFH (1240 AM and 97.5 FM) in Wichita
Betting line: UCF by 5.5
Over/under: 157.5.
STARTING LINEUPS
P | No. | UCF | Ht. | Yr. | PPG |
F | 52 | Mousthapha Thiam | 7-2 | Fr. | 10.3 |
G | 22 | Nils Machowski | 6-3 | So. | 1.9 |
G | 4 | Keyshawn Hall | 6-7 | Jr. | 18.8 |
G | 3 | Darius Johnson | 6-1 | Sr. | 15.0 |
G | 1 | Mikey Williams | 6-3 | Fr. | 4.8 |
P | No. | Kansas State | Ht. | Yr. | PPG |
F | 1 | David N’Guessan | 6-9 | Sr. | 12.9 |
G | 3 | CJ Jones | 6-5 | Jr. | 6.2 |
G | 2 | Max Jones | 6-4 | Sr. | 9.6 |
G | 11 | Brendan Hausen | 6-4 | Jr. | 11.8 |
G | 0 | Dug McDaniel | 5-11 | Jr. | 11.2 |
About UCF (14-13, 5-11 Big 12)
The Knights snapped a seven-game losing streak over the weekend when they defeated Utah 76-72 at home. Perhaps that victory will provide them with momentum as they look to close out the season.
UCF likes to run and win games via shootouts. Keyshawn Hall and Darius Johnson are their two leading scorers. The Knights are excellent from the free-throw line (77.7%) but average in other areas. They are shooting 48.1% from 2-point range and 33.5% from 3-point range.
About Kansas State (13-14, 7-9 Big 12)
The Wildcats are coming off three straight losses after they fell to Arizona State 66-54 on Sunday. K-State played that game without starting forward Coleman Hawkins, and he is considered questionable (at best) to be in the lineup against UCF. The Wildcats struggled without him on offense. Reserve forwards Mobi Ikegwuruka and Ugonna Onyenso will need to step up if he remains on the sideline.
David N’Guessan leads the team in scoring. He had 20 points and 13 rebounds in his last game.
K-State game prediction
Against a college basketball team like UCF, the best defense is a good offense.
Big 12 teams have faced little resistance against the Knights this season, as conference opponents are averaging 84.6 points per game versus them. That number is more than six points worse than the No. 15 defense in the league.
Two different teams (Iowa State and Oklahoma State) topped 100 points against the Knights. Three more teams (Baylor, Cincinnati and Kansas twice) have topped 90 points against UCF.
The past eight teams that scored 76 or more points against the Knights won all eight of those games.
UCF got its first win since Jan. 25 when it defeated Utah 76-72 on Sunday.
So the path to victory seems simple for K-State on Wednesday in Orlando. The Wildcats will take their chances if they can flirt with 80 points.
But it remains to be seen if Jerome Tang’s team is capable of winning a shootout against UCF. K-State has been in a scoring slump for the past two weeks. It only scored 65 points at BYU, 69 points at Utah and then 54 points against Arizona State. The Wildcats lost all three of those games.
Starting forward Coleman Hawkins did not play well in those first two games and he missed Arizona State with an injury. It’s hard to see the Wildcats putting on an offensive clinic if he remains out.
K-State has also been a bad road time this season, going 4-10 in games played away from Bramlage Coliseum.
For those reasons, UCF seems better equipped to win a fast-paced game at home.
UCF 78, K-State 74
Last game prediction: K-State 77, Arizona State 67
Actual score: Arizona State 66, K-State 54
Season record: 17-10
Season record ATS: 12-15
Season record O/U: 13-14
This story was originally published February 26, 2025 at 6:00 AM with the headline "K-State Wildcats at UCF Knights: Big 12 basketball game time, TV, odds and prediction."