Southeastern Louisiana @ Central Florida preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 22, 2014 ) Southeastern Louisiana 65, Central Florida 70

Central Florida looks to keep its winning ways at home going when the Knights host Southeastern Louisiana on Tuesday. UCF has won four of five at CFE Arena this season and eight of the past nine dating back to last season.

The Knights' strength remains on defense where UCF has held four consecutive opponents to fewer than 63 points and seen their season average on defense drop to 64.4 per game. While the presence of 7-6 center Tacko Fall has helped the Knights in the paint, overall UCF is allowing opponents to shoot just 38.5 percent from the field and 35.6 percent from the 3-point line. The Knights knocked off Southern 76-60 on Saturday for their second straight win after dropping three in a row. Southeastern Louisiana comes in averaging 73.8 points and shooting 43.6 percent from the field.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN3

ABOUT SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA (5-3): Junior guard Marlain Veal leads the Lions in scoring (13.5), assists (5.1) and steals (2.3). Senior guard Eddy Polanco has drained 13-of-30 from 3-point range and is scoring 11 per contest while connecting on 80.6 percent from the free-throw line. Senior forward Jordan Capps is averaging 19.3 points over the last three games to push his season mark to 12.5.

ABOUT CENTRAL FLORIDA (6-3): Senior forward A.J. Davis has stepped up his game in his third year as regular in the lineup. The son of former NBA star Antonio Davis is averaging a double-double through nine games, at 10.3 points and 10.0 rebounds per contest. Davis has recorded double-figure rebounds in six of nine games and matched his season high with seven assists in the win over Southern.

TIP-INS

1. Southeastern Louisiana won its last four games, but has not played since Nov. 28 due to a break for school exams.

2. The two former Atlantic Sun Conference rivals have met 10 times previously with UCF holding a 7-3 record. The Knights have won the past four meetings, including the most recent 70-65 in 2014.

3. UCF senior G Djordjije Mumin has forced his way in to the starting lineup the past three games, setting career highs in scoring in each of the past two contests, draining 4-of-7 from 3-point range against Southern.

PREDICTION: UCF 75, Southeastern Louisiana 62