Sacred Heart @ Central Florida preview

Central Florida enters Sunday's home game against Sacred Heart riding a four-game winning streak, outscoring opponents by an average of 15 points in that span. But the Knights will face a red-hot Pioneers team that also boasts a four-game winning streak with three coming on the road.

The Knights have shot 48.9 percent from the floor while holding opponents to 40.6 percent - 27.8 percent from 3-point range - during their winning streak. They have done so with almost an entirely new roster, losing 11 players from 2018-2019 headlined by Tacko Fall and B.J. Taylor. Redshirt junior guard Ceasar DeJesus, one of three players with significant experience entering this season, has been hot during the streak, averaging 14.5 points while shooting 63.9 percent from the floor. After dropping their first three games, the Pioneers - among the favorites in the Northeast Conference - have won six of seven, outscoring opponents by 121 points in that time.

TV: 2 p.m. ET, No TV

ABOUT SACRED HEART (6-4): Sophomore point guard Cameron Parker has proven to be one of the best passers in the nation, leading the way with 96 total dishes and 9.6 per game, catching national headlines when he broke the NCAA record with 24 assists in a win against Division III member Pine Manor. Junior forward E.J. Anosike has proven to be one of the best players in the NEC, averaging 16.8 points and 11 rebounds and has been named conference Player of the Week two of the last three times. The Pioneers have been the best rebounding team in the NEC at 42.5 rebounds per game, which was 14th nationally entering Saturday.

ABOUT UCF (7-2): One of two players to start every game for the Knights is 6-11 junior center Collin Smith, who averages 14.8 points on 56 percent shooting. Graduate transfer Dazon Ingram averages 10.3 points, slightly more than his 2018-2019 season at Alabama, but also contributes elsewhere as he leads the team in rebounding (6.8) and assists (4.0). Freshman Darin Green Jr. has been the team's most prolific 3-point shooter, knocking down 20-of-48 shots while taking good care of the ball, turning it over only five times in nine games.

TIP-INS

1. The Knights returned only 19.7 percent of their scoring from 2018-2019, the fourth-least in the country.

2. UCF has used five different starting lineups consisting of 10 players.

3. Sacred Heart 6-10 C Jare'l Spellman was 23rd in the country with 25 blocked shots.

PREDICTION: UCF 79, Sacred Heart 73