WVU MOUNTAINEERS VS. UCF KNIGHTS PREVIEW — MARCH 8, 2025 — The WVU Mountaineers 18-12 (9-10 Big 12) host the UCF Knights 16-14 (7-12 Big 12) in the regular season finale for both ball clubs. Let’s look at how both teams have performed coming into this matchup.
Tipoff
When: March 8, 2025 @ 5:00 PM EST
Where: WVU Coliseum, Morgantown, WV
TV: ESPN+
Mountaineers Coming Off Win Against Utah
Following back-to-back losses against BYU (73-69) and Baylor (74-71), West Virginia has posted three wins in its last five contests, including a 71-69 victory over Utah on Tuesday night.
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Javon Small paced the team’s offense with 18 points on 7-for-14 shooting from the field. He also tallied seven assists and four rebounds.
WVU used a 14-6 run down the stretch to take a six-point lead (70-64) with 12 seconds left, but the game wasn’t over yet. Utah’s Gabe Madsen knocked down a huge 3-pointer, and Jake Wahlin converted a layup to trim the deficit to one with a second left to play in regulation.
After Sencire Harris went 1-for-2 at the charity stripe, Joseph Yesufu blocked Madsen’s 3-point attempt, securing the victory for West Virginia.
Knights Look To Remain Hot Against WVU
On the heels of a dreadful seven-game losing skid, the Knights have won three of their previous four games, including an 83-70 victory against Oklahoma State on Wednesday.
Darius Johnson had a memorable performance, finishing with 36 points, five rebounds, and five assists. He shot an impressive 10-for-18 overall and converted seven of his 12 attempts from beyond the arc.
While Keyshawn Hall did not shoot the ball efficiently (4-13 FG and 0-4 3PT), his final stat line included 18 points, nine rebounds, and five assists.
UCF trailed by five points at the break and by 10 early in the second half. However, the team responded with a 32-9 run to take a 69-56 lead at the 6:41 mark.
The Knights’ defense was stout, holding Oklahoma State to 37.9 percent shooting overall and 28 percent from 3-point range. The Knights won the rebounding battle by a sizable 50-26 margin.
WVU vs UCF Prediction: Who Has The Edge?
The Mountaineers are averaging just 68.3 points per contest. That’s the bad news. On the other hand, UCF is 2-7 on the road in Big 12 play and has not won a road contest in over seven weeks.
Additionally, although the Knights lead the conference in points per game (79), they surrender the most points per contest (80.1). Given the trends, the Mountaineers win a close one and could “possibly” earn a first-round bye in the upcoming tournament.
