South Florida @ Central Florida preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 14, 2018 ) South Florida 57, Central Florida 72

South Florida is one of the most-improved teams in the country this season and the Bulls look to enhance their resume when they visit Sunshine State rival Central Florida on Wednesday night for an American Athletic Conference showdown. USF, which won 10 contests last season and 23 combined the previous three, is riding a five-game winning streak for the first time since 1992 after rallying past East Carolina 72-68 in overtime Sunday.

“This was our vision the whole time,” Bulls sophomore guard David Collins told reporters after recording 21 points, nine rebounds and five assists Sunday. “We knew we had people doubting us, and we just had to go out there and show everybody that we’re here.” USF’s second-year coach Brian Gregory said one of the most exciting things about his team is that it is still getting better and the Bulls must show that Wednesday against the Knights, who have won 10 of their last 11 games at home with the only loss coming against ninth-ranked Houston. UCF rebounded from the 77-68 loss to Cougars last Thursday by winning 71-65 at SMU three days later to solidify third place in the American. “I thought we did a lot of things right,” Knights coach Johnny Dawkins told reporters after his team shot 52 percent from the field Sunday. “I thought offensively we moved the ball well. It was evident by 16 assists. We defended well when we had to.”

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPNews

ABOUT SOUTH FLORIDA (17-6, 7-4 American): Collins, who leads the team in scoring (15.2), has raised his production and efficiency levels the last three games while averaging 21.3 points and connecting on 20-of-36 from the field. Junior guard Laquincy Rideau, a transfer from Gardner-Webb, averages 13.9 points along with a team-high 5.8 assists and is among the national leaders in steals per game (3.0). Gregory told reporters sophomore forward Alexis Yetna (13.0 points, team-high 9.8 rebounds, 56.2 percent shooting) is improving, but remains day-to-day with a leg injury after missing two games.

ABOUT CENTRAL FLORIDA (17-5, 7-3): Sophomore forward Collin Smith rebounded from being held scoreless by Houston to register his third double-double of the season Sunday with 18 points and 10 boards. “After last game, he bounced back as about as good as you can,” Dawkins said of Smith, who also had five assists against SMU. “He was terrific. He carried us during stretches of the second half.” Senior guard B.J. Taylor was held to eight points by SMU, but leads the team in scoring (16.7), while junior guard Aubrey Dawkins contributes 15.5 points per game after recording a season-high 26 on Sunday.

TIP-INS

1. UCF’s 7-6 senior C Tacko Fall entered Tuesday leading the nation in field goal percentage (76.2) and is ninth in blocks (2.64).

2. Bulls sophomore G Justin Brown has averaged 12.3 points and drained 13-of-23 shots from behind the arc over the past four contests.

3. The Knights have won the last six games in the War on I-4 series, including a 72-57 triumph in Orlando last February.

PREDICTION: South Florida 72, Central Florida 70