The Arizona Wildcats (9-5, 3-0 Big 12) prepare to welcome the UCF Knights (11-3, 2-1 Big 12) to Tucson on Saturday as they ride the high of a three-game home winning streak.
Mid-December saw Arizona struggling with inconsistency, barely holding a record above .500. The Wildcats endured a tough stretch, suffering defeats against West Virginia, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Duke, and UCLA. The loss to UCLA was particularly disappointing, not just because of the Bruins' subpar current form but also because Arizona squandered a 13-point second-half lead.
During their losing spell, the Wildcats leaned heavily on Caleb Love, depending on his shooting to fuel their offense. When he faltered, the team faltered. Head coach Tommy Lloyd needed to establish a more balanced approach, one that didn’t hinge so heavily on one player’s performance. For a while, that missing piece eluded Arizona—until their recent Big 12 road swing.
The Wildcats flipped the script during road victories over Cincinnati and West Virginia, showcasing a newfound defensive intensity. Arizona held both opponents under 70 points and established a dominant physical presence, signaling a shift in their identity.
The Knights are navigating an intriguing start to their Big 12 campaign. After tying for 11th in their debut season in the conference, UCF opened this year with an 87-83 win over Texas Tech. However, they suffered a humbling 99-48 home loss to Kansas before bouncing back to edge Colorado 75-74 on Wednesday.
This will be the first-ever meeting between Arizona and UCF. The Knights joined Division I in 1985 and became part of the Big 12 in the 2023-24 season.
Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch the Arizona vs UCF NCAAM game, plus plenty more.
Arizona Wildcats vs UCF Knights: Date and tip-off time
The Wildcats and the Knights will tip off in a highly anticipated NCAAM game on Saturday, January 11, 2025, at 10:00 pm ET/7:00 pm PT at McKale Center in Tucson, Arizona.
| Date | Saturday, January 11, 2025 |
| Tip-off Time | 10:00 pm ET/7:00 pm PT |
| Venue | McKale Center |
| Location | Tucson, Arizona |
How to watch Arizona Wildcats vs UCF Knights on TV & stream live online
Fans in the USA can catch all the action between the Wildcats and the Knights on:
- TV Channel: ESPN
- Streaming service: Fubo
Streaming the game with a VPN
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How to listen to Arizona Wildcats vs UCF Knights play-by-play commentary on radio
Fans wanting to listen to the action live can do so via SiriusXM.
SiriusXM offers play-by-play commentary from games in all major US sports. It also brings you closer to the action with exclusive interviews and expert analysis from league insiders and experts.
You can try SiriusXM for free with their one-month trial. After that, the All Access plan costs $9.99 a month.
Arizona Wildcats team news & key performers
Arizona's resurgence has coincided with several standout performances and tactical adjustments. Henri Veesaar has emerged as their most reliable big man, while KJ Lewis dropped a career-best 21 points in the win at West Virginia. Freshman Carter Bryant continues to shine, living up to his 5-star billing and positioning himself as a future NBA prospect.
Since Lloyd inserted Pellegrino Dell’Orso into the starting five following the UCLA loss, the Wildcats haven’t looked back, winning every game since. The frontcourt duo of Keshad Johnson and Malik Awaka has remained solid at the four and five positions, while Arizona's bench has played a pivotal role, averaging 32.8 points per game during this streak.
UCF Knights team news & key performers
The Knights' offense thrives on isolating their top three players: forward Keyshawn Hall and guards Darius Johnson and Jordan Ivy-Curry. While UCF is average from both beyond the arc (34.0%) and inside the paint (47.3%), they excel at drawing fouls and capitalizing at the charity stripe. The Knights derive 24.2% of their points from free throws, ranking 18th nationally. They convert 77.3% of their free-throw attempts, good for 32nd in the country.
All three stars are adept at earning trips to the line, with Hall shooting 78.7%, Johnson hitting 81.7%, and Ivy-Curry leading the trio at 86.9%. However, UCF may be without one of their key returners, Jaylin Sellers, who has played only three games this season due to injury and remains questionable for Saturday.