NFL Previews 
MLB Previews 
NBA Previews 
NHL Previews 
Soccer Previews 
UCF Knights vs BYU Cougars Picks and Predictions – Tuesday, February 24, 2026
UCF heads to Provo late Tuesday night for a Big 12 matchup with No. 19 BYU at the Marriott Center, and the market is pricing this as a clear home statement spot with BYU laying -11.5. The split makes sense on paper. UCF is 19-7 overall but only 3-4 away, while BYU is 20-7 and has been dominant in this building at 15-3. When you’re catching double digits on the road, the handicap is about whether the underdog can keep the game out of blowout scripts, meaning no extended empty stretches, no turnover bursts that become runouts, and no foul trouble that turns the final eight minutes into free throws.
The total sits at 163.5, which signals a game the market expects to be played in the 80s. That matters because high totals can make big spreads tricky to cover. More possessions create more variance, and an underdog that can score efficiently can hang around even if it never controls the game. The key question is whether UCF’s shot-making travels well enough to trade for long stretches, and whether BYU’s home offense forces UCF into a pace it cannot manage.
Accurate NCAAB Predictions Delivered
Lock in premium value for $9
UCF Knights vs BYU Cougars Odds
These are the current betting lines, and bettors should keep tracking movement throughout the day on the latest college basketball odds board.
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| UCF Knights | +468 | +11.5 (-116) | O 163.5 |
| BYU Cougars | -708 | -11.5 (-108) | U 163.5 |
UCF Knights Betting Form
UCF is coming off a 73-71 win over Utah, and that game is a useful reference point for how the Knights can stay competitive in a tough road environment. Themus Fulks carried the scoring load with 24, and the win came down to composure late rather than a runaway efficiency edge. If UCF is going to cover a number like +11.5 at BYU, it needs that same steadiness on offense, meaning fewer empty trips, clean possessions that end in a good shot, and enough made threes to punish BYU for any defensive lapses.
The season profile supports the underdog case. UCF can score, it shoots the ball well enough to stay in games, and it has shown it can cover as an underdog when the pace stays playable. The danger is the stretch that decides everything, the three-minute span where turnovers lead to a 9-0 run and the building gets loud. UCF’s cover path is protecting the ball, matching BYU on the glass to avoid second-chance damage, and keeping the game in a possession-by-possession rhythm rather than a track meet.
Injury Report
Jamichael Stillwell (F) is probable with an undisclosed issue. Carmelo Pacheco (G) is probable while working through a concussion. Riley Kugel (G) is questionable with an undisclosed injury. Tanner Jones (G) is out with an undisclosed injury.
BYU Cougars Betting Form
BYU comes in off a 79-69 win over Iowa State, and the headline is the ceiling. When the Cougars are scoring efficiently, they can create separation quickly, especially at home where their offense tends to flow earlier in the shot clock and their shooters get cleaner looks. The Marriott Center has been a real edge this season at 15-3, and that matters in a game lined like BYU is expected to control from the start. If BYU plays to its standard, the -11.5 cover path looks like sustained pressure, quick scoring bursts, and enough defensive stops to force UCF into chasing.
The other piece is reliability as a favorite. BYU has been strong in this role, and the roster construction fits it, because they can score in multiple ways and punish teams that try to take away one option. For UCF, that means the margin for error gets thin. A couple rushed possessions can turn into a double-digit deficit fast, and once the game starts drifting toward the mid-to-high 80s, BYU’s ability to pile points on becomes the separator.
Injury Report
Richie Saunders (G) is out for the season with a torn ACL. Dawson Baker (G) is out for the season with a knee injury. Nate Pickens (G) is out and expected to miss the remainder of the season. KJ Perry (G) is out and will redshirt this season. X. Staton (C) is out with an undisclosed injury.
UCF Knights vs BYU Cougars Matchup Breakdown
This matchup is UCF’s shot-making and composure against BYU’s home offense and scoring pace. UCF can compete here if it turns the game into longer possessions that end in good looks, especially if the Knights’ threes are falling at a rate that forces BYU to defend the arc with discipline. The problem is that BYU is comfortable playing fast enough to create separation, and the Cougars do not need a perfect shooting night to get there because home energy and rhythm can lift efficiency.
The total at 163.5 is the tension point. If this game is played in the mid 70s for each side, BYU can still cover, but it becomes harder to create the kind of margin a double-digit spread wants. If BYU gets this into an 86-76 type script, the UCF cover is alive and the under is live too. If it becomes 90-80 territory, the spread and the over both come into play, especially if the final minutes include fouls.
UCF Knights vs BYU Cougars Predictions and Best Bets
I lean UCF +11.5. This number is asking BYU to win comfortably, and while the Cougars are fully capable at home, the underdog case is that UCF can score well enough to avoid the blowout script. The projected game shape also points to something closer than the spread, and if the Knights are getting reasonable shot quality and limiting live-ball turnovers, they have the tools to hang in the 6-to-10 point range for most of the night.
On the total, I lean under 163.5 as a secondary angle. Both teams can score, but 163.5 is still a demanding number that needs consistent efficiency from both sides and limited defensive disruption. If UCF’s primary goal is to keep this close, that usually shows up in fewer rushed possessions and more halfcourt usage, which supports the under. The risk is BYU getting hot early at home and pulling UCF into a pace game that turns into quick points and late fouls.
Best Bet: UCF +11.5 (-116).
UP TO $250 BONUS BET
The Best Live In-Game Betting
21+ Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
NCAAB Picks and Handicappers on ScoresAndStats
Big spreads are where number discipline matters most, because +11.5 and +12.5 can be the difference between a cash and a bad beat when the favorite is managing the game late. Start with NCAAB picks to see how the slate is lining up and where bettors are taking positions, then compare pricing and totals on the college basketball odds page so you are not taking a worse number than the market is offering elsewhere.
If you’re building a late-night card, the NCAAB previews hub is the easiest way to keep matchups organized by start time and style, especially when totals are inflated and spreads are wide. And when you want to track which handicappers consistently beat these big-number conference games, the handicappers leaderboard gives you a clean look at records and ROI so you can decide whose approach fits your card for nights like this.
