Kansas Faces UCF in Crucial Big 12 Championship Showdown

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — The Kansas Jayhawks and UCF Knights are set to clash Wednesday night in the second round of the Big 12 Championship, with both teams vying for a crucial postseason victory. The matchup at T-Mobile Center kicks off at 9:30 PM and will be broadcast on ESPN2.

UCF, holding a 20-11 record, edged past Utah in the first round of the tournament, while Kansas enters as a No. 14 seed with a season record of 17-15, including 7-13 in conference play. Kansas benefits from a supportive home crowd, given the proximity of Lawrence to Kansas City, which could play a significant role in their performance.

As the game progresses, Kansas leads by four points following a back-and-forth first half. The Jayhawks showcased strong contributions from their bench, particularly AJ Storr, who scored four points and made a pivotal assist. However, Kansas needs to ramp up their star player’s contributions, as Hunter Dickinson has been limited to just two points on 1-for-4 shooting.

On defense, Kansas has effectively thwarted UCF’s attempts for easy scoring opportunities, limiting their shooting capabilities significantly throughout the first half. UCF’s Zeke Mayo has emerged as a potential threat with two early three-pointers, giving Kansas reason to remain on high alert.

Commentary during the broadcast will be provided by Roxy Bernstein on play-by-play, Sean Farnham as analyst, along with producer Joe Taylor and director Brad Sheldon. The game is pivotal for both teams as they aim to secure momentum heading deeper into the tournament.

For fans looking for betting insights, the latest odds featured Kansas favored by 9.5 points against UCF, with an over/under set at 163.5, indicating a possible high-scoring game. These odds are subject to change as the match unfolds.

Jordan Guskey covers the University of Kansas Athletics for The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was named the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Follow him on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.