Houston Cougars vs. UCF Knights: How to watch, schedule, live stream info, start time, TV channel

Halftime Report

Only one more half stands between Houston and the victory they were favored to collect coming into this afternoon. They have a bit of a cushion as they currently lead UCF 28-14.

If Houston keeps playing like this, they'll bump their record up to 16-2 in no time. On the other hand, UCF will have to make due with an 11-6 record unless they turn things around (and fast).

Who's Playing

UCF Knights @ Houston Cougars

Current Records: UCF 11-5, Houston 15-2

How To Watch

When: Saturday, January 20, 2024 at 2 p.m. ET
Where: Fertitta Center -- Houston, Texas
TV: ESPN Plus
Follow: CBS Sports App
Online Streaming: Catch select College Basketball matches on Fubo (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
Ticket Cost: $17.99

What to Know

UCF has quite the challenge ahead of them as they're expected to be blown off the court. The UCF Knights and the Houston Cougars will face off in a Big 12 battle at 2:00 p.m. ET on Saturday at Fertitta Center. Both teams come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

Texas typically has all the answers at home, but on Wednesday UCF proved too difficult a challenge. They came out on top against the Longhorns by a score of 77-71. The victory came about thanks to a strong surge starting at the 12:34 mark of the first half, when UCF was facing a 22-6 deficit.

UCF can attribute much of their success to Shemarri Allen, who scored 17 points along with seven assists and four steals, and Jaylin Sellers, who scored 24 points along with five rebounds. Those seven assists set a new season-high mark for him.

Houston has made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won ten matches by 23 points or more this season. They put the hurt on the Red Raiders with a sharp 77-54 victory on Wednesday. Winning is a bit easier when your shooting is a whole 15.6% better than the opposition, as Houston's was.

Among those leading the charge was Jamal Shead, who dropped a double-double on 29 points and ten assists. Those 29 points set a new season-high mark for him. The team also got some help courtesy of J'Wan Roberts, who scored 12 points along with seven rebounds.

The Knights' win bumped their record up to 11-5. As for the Cougars, their win was their 15th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 15-2.

This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: UCF have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 39.8 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Houston struggles in that department as they've been averaging 40.3 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.

Not only did both teams in this Saturday's contest win their last matches, they also took care of their bettors and covered the spread. Looking ahead, the game looks promising for Houston, as the team is favored by a full 16.5 points. They might be worth a quick bet since they're sitting on a seven game streak of covering the spread when playing at home.