The Arizona Wildcats take on the UCF Knights in Orlando, Florida. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Arizona is favored by 9.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -500. The total is set at 165.5 points.
Here’s my Arizona vs. UCF prediction and college basketball picks for January 17, 2026.
Arizona vs UCF Prediction
My Pick: Arizona -9.5
My Arizona vs UCF best bet is on the Wildcats to cover the spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Arizona vs. UCF Odds
| Arizona Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-9.5 -110 | 165.5 -110o / -110u | -500 |
| UCF Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+9.5 -110 | 165.5 -110o / -110u | +375 |
- Arizona vs UCF spread: Arizona -9.5
- Arizona vs UCF over/under: 165.5 points
- Arizona vs UCF moneyline: Arizona -500, UCF +375
Arizona vs UCF College Basketball Betting Preview
Arizona Basketball
Arizona (17-0) is one of the last remaining unbeaten teams in the country after battling a resilient Arizona State squad.
The Wildcats boast a top-five offense and defense in college basketball and are arguably the best rebounding team in the country.
Koa Peat is coming off a 24-point, 10-rebound performance (with six of those boards coming on the offensive glass). He’s a matchup nightmare due to his quickness getting past bigger defenders and his physicality when it comes to brushing off smaller guards.
Jaden Bradley will draw the matchup against Themus Fulks, and it’s one I’m excited to watch. Bradley is one of the better defensive guards in the country and will have his hands full trying to contain Fulks.
I expect Bradley to continue serving as the senior leader this team needs, making big plays on both ends of the floor.
Brayden Burries has posted two straight quiet performances after scoring in double figures in 10 consecutive games. As Arizona’s only true 3-point threat, look for the Wildcats to try to get him going early after back-to-back low-scoring outings.
Where Arizona can really do damage is on the glass. UCF is a solid rebounding team, but it hasn’t yet faced an opponent of Arizona’s caliber when it comes to crashing the boards.
UCF Basketball
UCF was predicted to finish last in the Big 12, yet it sits at 14-2 overall and 3-1 in conference play.
Riley Kugel has really found his stroke in Big 12 action, averaging 18 points per game while shooting 52% from the field and 38% from beyond the arc.
The straw that stirs the drink for the Knights is Fulks.
He's recorded 12 assists in back-to-back games and in three of his last five outings, posting an assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.6-to-1 over that five-game stretch.
As a team, UCF ranks inside the top 25 nationally in 3-point shooting, connecting at a 38% clip on the season.
The Knights are also one of the better rebounding teams in the country, though they’ll be tested against one of the elite rebounding units in the sport.
If Fulks continues to be an elite facilitator — finding shooters like Kugel and getting Jordan Burks involved — and UCF can hold its own on the glass at home, the Knights have a path to staying competitive in this one.
Arizona vs. UCF Betting Analysis
For UCF to stand a chance, it needs Burks to break out of his funk. He’s been quiet in three straight games, including an 0-for-11 performance in UCF’s loss to Oklahoma State.
Unfortunately, I don’t think that happens against one of the best defenses in the country, a unit that consistently makes shooters uncomfortable with its size and quickness on the perimeter.
I think Arizona woke up a bit after its scare against Arizona State at home and will come in refocused against a pesky UCF team.
The Knights should play the Wildcats tough early, but in the end, Arizona will pull away.
My Pick: Arizona -9.5
