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UCF vs. Cincinnati Prediction, Odds & Preview Tonight: Best College Basketball Crown Picks

Mike Spector

Last Updated: April 3, 2025 2:48 PM EDT • 3 min 39 sec read.

UCF vs. Cincinnati prediction
Pictured: Cincinnati Bearcats guard Jizzle James dribbles against the TCU Horned Frogs in the first half. Photo by Katie Stratman / Imagn.

Two rivals from the Big 12 Conference meet with a chance to advance to the College Basketball Crown semifinal as the UCF Knights (18-16) and Cincinnati Bearcats (19-15) battle. Thursday's tipoff from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas is set for 7 p.m. ET (FS1).

Cincinnati beat UCF 93-83 on the road in the only regular-season meeting between the two teams, and the Bearcats have been installed as 6.5-point betting favorites for this rematch. Our UCF vs. Cincinnati prediction, odds, and preview explain why a similar result is in store.

🏀 UCF vs. Cincinnati prediction & picks: College Basketball Crown

Here are my best UCF vs. Cincinnati predictions for the College Basketball Crown; use our parlay calculator to get the best odds for any same-game parlay:

✅ Against the spread pick: Cincinnati -6.5 (+100 via ESPN BET) vs. UCF ⭐⭐⭐
🔥 Over/Under bet: Over 151.5 (-115 via ESPN BET) ⭐⭐⭐
🎯 Exact score prediction: Cincinnati 83, UCF 74

👉 Want more picks? Check out our latest college basketball picks and the rest of our March Madness predictions.

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📈UCF vs. Cincinnati betting insights

  • Cincinnati is getting an overwhelming amount of the action among spread bettors while generating 74% of the attention
  • Betting on the total is closer, with the Over on 154.5 getting 54% of the action
  • The spread opened with Cincinnati as the 6-point favorite, and it shifted further to -6.5 around noon ET today

🏆 Best UCF vs. Cincinnati pick & score prediction

Our NEW college basketball player prop odds tool can help you find the best odds for any March Madness market across legal sportsbooks in your area!

✅ Cincinnati to cover the spread: -6.5 ⭐⭐⭐

Cincinnati scored 93 points in its Feb. 5 trip to Addition Financial Arena, which were the second-most points the Knights allowed at home all season. The Bearcats also won comfortably by double-digits despite a -12 rebounding differential, as they proved to be too physical for UCF and made 33 of their 49 shots from inside the arc.

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Knights leading scorer Keyshawn Hall was one of the lone bright spots in that matchup, scoring 23 points and getting to the free throw line eight times. But he is not playing in this tournament, and Cincinnati’s roster has everyone available compared to the depleted UCF squad.

📊 Best odds: +100 via ESPN BET ($10 to win $10)

🔥 Over/Under pick: Over 151.5 ⭐⭐⭐

The UCF-Oregon State first round matchup was one of the lowest-scoring games of the College Basketball Crown opening round, which is saying something even though the two teams still combined for 151 points.

Because Oregon State was left without few frontcourt players after transfers and opt-outs, the Beavers deployed much more matchup zone, which UCF didn’t see much of in the Big 12 outside of facing Baylor.

The Knights still averaged a respectable 1.10 points per possession, but I expect this to be a higher-scoring game with Cincinnati playing more man-to-man defense that UCF is accustomed to. 

📊 Best odds: -115 via ESPN BET ($10 to win $8.70)

🎯 Score prediction: Cincinnati 83, UCF 74

Seven of UCF’s last eight losses have come by at least seven points, while Cincinnati has scored 83-plus points in five of its last seven wins. That is why I’m predicting a final score of Cincinnati 83, UCF 74.

Odds for this final score wager are not available yet, but I’d expect DraftKings to offer between +15000 and +19000 odds for this prop when they surface.

📊 Best odds: OFF

🤖 UCF vs. Cincinnati AI prediction

For entertainment purposes, we asked ChatGPT to analyze college basketball stats and trends before predicting the winner and exact score for (VISITOR vs. HOST). Our AI prediction projects a final score of UCF 71, Cincinnati 66.

🖥️ AI score prediction: UCF 71, Cincinnati 66

  • UCF’s Defensive Edge: The Knights have been one of the toughest defensive teams in the league. If they can stifle Cincinnati’s offense, they’ll control the tempo.
  • Cincinnati’s Offensive Versatility: While UCF boasts a strong defense, Cincinnati has been more balanced offensively, with multiple players capable of taking over games.
  • Tournament Momentum: UCF has been trending upwards in March, winning two of its last three games with its only loss coming in overtime to Kansas.

🤔 Betting takeaway: ChatGPT's AI prediction would mean UCF covering the spread (+6.5) and a total of Under 151.5 points. ChatGPT is not a dedicated sports betting model, but it can identify data that college basketball bettors might overlook.

📊 UCF vs. Cincinnati odds

Follow the latest live college basketball odds and real-time college basketball scores. Odds via bet365 at 7:30 a.m. ET.

  • Spread: UCF +6.5 (-115) | Cincinnati -6.5 (-105)
  • Moneyline: UCF +205 | Cincinnati -250
  • Over/Under: Over 154 (-110) | Under 154 (-110)

🔢 UCF vs. Cincinnati opening odds

  • Spread: UCF +6.5 (-120) | Cincinnati -6.5 (+100)
  • Moneyline: UCF +220 | Cincinnati -270
  • Over/Under: Over 151.5 (-115) | Under 151.5 (-105)

📺 How to watch UCF vs. Cincinnati: College Basketball Crown

📅 Date: Thursday, April 3
🕗 Time: 7 p.m. ET
📍 Location: MGM Grand Garden Arena (Las Vegas)
📺 TV: FS1
💻 Streaming: FOX Sports App

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Written By:
Mike Spector
Mike started in the sports writing industry in July 2019, and gained a lot of followers in his first year after finishing with the No. 2 overall record in an annual NFL betting competition, which made picks against the spread, and from an Over/Under and moneyline perspective. Mike is an avid fan of the NFL, MLB, tennis, and all college sports. In his opinion, March Madness is the best sporting event there is, and he's especially euphoric starting with conference tournament time in college basketball. Mike's a big advocate of "fading the public" and making plays that are contrarian, constantly citing that "there are reasons why they have those big shiny buildings in Las Vegas." When making wagers, Mike always scours the best odds at all of the major sports betting sites, where he mostly sifts through DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and bet365. He's tried several others and is of the firm belief that bettors should not just stick to one sportsbook, as there is always likely better value to be had with the same wager. In addition, while Mike received his undergraduate degree from Villanova University, he has no issue betting against the Wildcats when it comes to college basketball wagering, and suggests other bettors should always put their “head” before their “hearts.”