Jacksonville Dolphins vs. Central Florida Knights Pick & Prediction DECEMBER 21st 2024

Preview and Prediction

UCF is seeking to prolong a duo of lengthy winning streaks at home on Saturday night as they take on Jacksonville in the final nonconference game of the regular season for both teams.

The Knights (8-2) currently hold a perfect 7-0 record at Addition Financial Arena this season, which is the second-longest home winning streak under head coach Johnny Dawkins. Additionally, their streak of regular-season home victories against nonconference opponents has reached 10, dating back to last season.

Despite injuries to guards Jaylin Sellers and Mikey Williams, UCF has managed to showcase their offensive versatility while also excelling at creating turnovers on the defensive end. One standout player for the Knights has been 7-foot-2 freshman Moustapha Thiam.

The Senegal native has been shooting an impressive 48.1 percent from the field over the past three games, averaging 11.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 4.7 blocks. Thiam, who has recorded 25 blocks in just nine games, had a career-high 14 points during UCF's 88-75 victory over Tulsa on December 14th in Sunrise, Florida.

Coach Dawkins has been impressed with Thiam's defensive abilities, stating, "I knew Moustapha, as long as he was, could block and change shots. I think he's a really good offensive player. He's capable of scoring in the low post; he's capable of scoring facing up."

Jacksonville (6-5) is coming off a 60-52 win against East Tennessee State on December 14th.

Despite committing eight turnovers, Atlantic Sun Conference Preseason Player of the Year Robert McCray V had an impressive performance with 22 points, five rebounds, five steals, four blocks, and three assists. McCray currently leads the Dolphins in scoring, averaging 15.6 points per game.

Coach Jordan Mincy was pleased with the team's performance against East Tennessee State, particularly with the addition of Dayton transfer Zimi Nwokeji (15 points) and 6-9 sophomore Donovan Rivers to the starting lineup.

"We wanted to be more explosive," Mincy said. "We understood (East Tennessee State) was going to be a challenge to line up against. We knew they could rebound. But we felt like some things were getting stale, so we wanted to shake it up to get to an elite level."

Jacksonville has struggled on the road this season, with a 1-4 record in true road games. However, they did manage to overcome a 10-point halftime deficit to defeat Virginia Tech 74-64 on November 20th.

PREDICTION

Jacksonville Dolphins

Central Florida Knights