Charleston @ Central Florida preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 18, 2016 ) Central Florida 60, Charleston 40

Central Florida and Charleston come off their first road victories of the season, with the Knights rallying from nine down to squeak past Illinois State 67-65 while the Cougars shut down Marshall, 76-66. Charleston continues its road swing with a Saturday afternoon visit to UCF for the 18th installment of a series the Cougars lead 12-5 dating back to 1993.

With just three players returning with any experience as a Knight, UCF has a completely new look for 2019-20 and a different player has stepped up as the scoring leader for each of the team's three games, with grad transfer Dazon Ingram opening the season with 16 against Prairie View A&M, senior Frank Bertz and freshman Darin Green Jr. scoring 13 versus Miami, and junior forward Collin Smith leading the way with 18 at Illinois State. Smith, in fact, was the only starter to register more than five points in the comeback win over Illinois State as three players came off the bench to spark the win - junior guard Brandon Mahan (17 points), Green (career high-tying 13) and junior center Avery Diggs (10). "We have confidence in our bench," head coach Johnny Dawkins told reporters. "Those guys stepped up tonight. They gave us a lift." Charleston's reserves had far less of an impact in the Cougars' last victory, with only one (Sam Miller, 13) scoring more than three points as four of the five starters were in double digits.

TV: 2 p.m. ET, No TV

ABOUT CHARLESTON (3-1): Senior Grant Riller is the main man for the Cougars, averaging 21.8 points per game after scoring 20 points or more in three of the first four contests, with a high of 26 in the opener. Riller has a 32-game double-digit scoring streak while fellow senior Jaylen McManus, the team's second-leading scorer (12 ppg), is off to a solid start with three straight double-figure outings after notching 12 points and a career-high nine rebounds at Marshall. The Cougars shot a season-high 48.4 percent from the floor against Marshall and are hitting 43.5 percent overall for this season despite a dismal 24.7 success rate from long range.

ABOUT UCF (2-1): Four Knights are averaging in double figures, led by Smith (13.3), who is hitting 59.3 percent of his shots but has only attempted three (hitting one) from 3-point range. Green (11.3) and Mahan (10.3) come off the bench to provide solid scoring, with Green topping the team in 3-pointers (eight) and 3-point percentage (42.1). Mahan, a graduate transfer from Texas A&M, recorded his first career double-double last time out, totaling a season-high 17 points and a career-best 10 rebounds and he's tied with Diggs for the team lead in boards per game (5.0).

TIP-INS

1. The Knights have 50 turnovers in three games (16.7 per game).

2. UCF is averaging 70 points per game and giving up 71.

3. The last meeting between these teams came in 2016 when the Knights came out on top 60-40 in the Charleston Classic.

PREDICTION: UCF 73, Charleston 65