The Colorado Buffaloes and the UCF Knights continue Big 12 Conference men’s basketball action on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, in Orlando, Florida.
Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. central on ESPN+. The Buffaloes (9-4, 0-2 in Big 12) and the Knights (10-3, 1-1 in Big 12) are both currently unranked.
UCF and Colorado are both coming off of blowout losses, with the Knights suffering a 51-point beatdown to Kansas and the Buffaloes taking a 20-point loss to Arizona State. UCF started their regular season with an upset win over Texas Tech, and Colorado dropped a close one to No. 3 Iowa State.
Here is a preview of Wednesday’s game.
How to Watch UCF vs. Colorado
Date: Wednesday, January 8, 2025
Time: 6 p.m. CT
TV Channel: ESPN+
Site: Addition Financial Arena, Orlando, Florida
UCF vs. Colorado Betting Odds, Lines
Opening Line: TBD
Current Line: TBD
Over/Under: TBD
UCF vs. Colorado Predictions
The Knights have had an up-and-down start to conference play with a dramatic upset win over the Texas Tech Red Raiders and a 51-point blowout loss at home to Kansas. In the matchup vs. the Jayhawks, UCF struggled to convert baskets, shooting just 20.6% from the field.
UCF has found scoring from a trio of key players this season, including Keyshawn Hall, Jordan Ivy-Curry, and Darius Johnson, each of whom is averaging upwards of 14 points per game. Hall leads the trio in scoring with 15.5 points, followed by Ivy-Curry at 14.8, and 14.5 for Johnson.
Colorado, despite upsetting then-ranked No. 1 UConn in the non-conference schedule, has struggled in Big 12 play. The team has been outscored by their two opponents, 160-130. The Buffaloes have played one true road game this season and are 0-1 in the matchup, while UCF holds an impressive 8-1 record at home.
The Buffaloes have an impressive scoring trio of their own, with production from Julian Hammond III, Elijah Malone, and Andrej Jakimovski, who are averaging a total of 34.9 points per game. Jakimovski missed their outing against Iowa State, which hurt the Buffalos’ chances. However, they did find some rhythm and punch back at the nation’s third-ranked team.
UCF 67, Colorado 61
ESPN Matchup Predictor: UCF (66.8% Chance of Winning)
