Another week brings another interesting matchup between quality teams in the Big 12. UCF has certainly exceeded expectations but face a significant test at Houston in this Wednesday night showdown. We’ve seen some really intriguing ballgames in this conference in recent weeks; will this become another?
Considering all we’ve seen from UCF (17-4) this season, the Knights are absolutely in great shape moving forward. They had an 11-game winning streak earlier in the year and have shown up in most of their conference games. UCF nearly outlasted top-ranked Arizona a few weeks ago and have impressive home wins over Kansas and Texas Tech, though putting everything together on the road is a different animal..
With their own strong performances, Houston (19-2) has put themselves in an enviable position. The Cougars are 7-1 in the Big 12, with their lone loss at Texas Tech a week and a half ago. A very strong defensive squad has been flexing their muscles on offense in recent performances. They haven’t lost a home game this season and are finding their groove; will Houston roll to another big win?
UCF vs. Houston: When and Where
Date: Wednesday, February 4, 2026, 7:00 pm ET
Location: Fertitta Center in Houston, Texas
UCF vs. Houston: Where to Watch or Stream
Watch: FS1
Streaming: FuboTV
UCF vs. Houston: Betting Odds
Spread: Houston Cougars -13.5, UCF Knights +13.5
Moneyline: Houston Cougars -671, UCF Knights +650
Total: 147.5
UCF vs. Houston: Series History
All-time series: Houston leads 25-11
Last meeting: Houston 69, UCF 68 (January 18, 2025)
Projected Starting Lineups
UCF Knights
Riley Kugel (14.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg)
Themus Fulks (14.2 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 7.2 apg)
Jordan Burks (12.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
Jamichael Stillwell (12.4 ppg, 8.1 rpg)
John Bol (5.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg)
Houston Cougars
Kingston Flemings (17.0 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 5.4 apg)
Emanuel Sharp (16.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg)
Milos Uzan (11.4 ppg, 4.0 apg)
Chris Cenac Jr. (9.3 ppg, 7.7 rpg)
Joseph Tugler (7.9 ppg, 5.7 rpg)
Some might not see this as a close game on paper with how Houston has played but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The Knights just beat a Texas Tech squad that got the better of the Cougars just a week earlier. UCF’s offense was operating at a high level against some pretty phenomenal players. It’s how they handle Cenac and Tugler that’ll determine if they’ll have any success against Houston. This team isn’t too far removed from a 30-point loss at Iowa State and in order to avoid that type of performance they really need to play smart, team basketball. On the other hand, Flemings and company just look to keep pushing it on offense.
The odds may be stacked against them, but can UCF find a way to actually win this game and make one of the biggest statements of the season? Does Houston just keep doing what they’ve been doing recently and outgun and outwork the Knights for a third straight victory?