UCF basketball has not had a lot of success since their run in 2019 when they came very close to beating one-seed Duke in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Knights haven't made it back to the tournament ever since and have had some pretty down years.
However, in their first season in the Big 12, a conference known for having some of the best teams in college basketball, the Knights held their own and even made it to the NIT, but sadly lost in the first round to hated rival USF.
This season, however, UCF has stepped up its game a bit with some great transfers out of the portal and young recruits. The Knights are 13-8 on the season, but just 4-6 in the Big 12. However, ESPN NCAA Tournament expert Joe Lunardi has the Knights just barely on the outside of the tournament with a chance of making it in.
Over the last couple of weeks, UCF has popped up more and more on Lundari's bracketology. They were actually the last team in last week, but after two tough losses to Kansas and BYU, they are now the first team out.
The fact that UCF is even in the conversation right now when it comes to the NCAA Tournament is something that can give fans hope, especially after a really tough football season. UCF does have a few Quad 1 wins this season, but they could use a few more to really solidify their NCAA Tournament resume for the selection committee.
Looking at the rest of UCF's regular season schedule, with games vs. Cincinnati, No. 8 Iowa State, Utah, Kansas State, and Oklahoma State at home, they need to win at least one-fourth of those games. Their away games left are at Baylor, Colorado, Oklahoma State, TCU, and West Virginia, and they need wins again in at least three of those games, especially against West Virginia and Baylor.
UCF needs to stay the course this season and play well in the Big 12 Tournament, and they could just find themselves slipping into the tournament as a low seed.