Gross Bombs: NFL Props for Week 16
Josh Gross
Check out our entire college basketball season preview!
The college basketball season is less than three weeks away, and here at FTN Fantasy we have you covered for what promises to be another thrilling year of upsets and incredible finishes. I will be taking you around the country with a betting preview of the major conferences. I recap the betting trends from last season, list projected starters, preview the season, identify a key player, and reveal how I’m backing or fading each team.
Let’s start with the best conference in college basketball, the Big 12. Last season, the conference added four new teams in Houston, BYU, Cincinnati and UCF. This year, the conference expanded to 16 teams, with Arizona State, Utah, Colorado and Arizona bolstering an already-elite conference. The Big 12 says farewell to Texas and Oklahoma, who are now in the SEC.
Let’s take a look at our betting preview for the UCF Knights.
2024-2025 College Basketball Season Preview: UCF Knights
Conference: Big 12
Head Coach: Johnny Dawkins (9th Season)
2023-2024 Record: 17-16 (7-11)
ATS: 19-14
O/U: 17-15-1
Projected Starters: G Darius Johnson; G Jaylin Sellers; G Keyshawn Hall; G Benny Williams; F Rokas Jocius
Well done, Johnny Dawkins. You got me.
UCF enjoyed an impressive 19-14 ATS record, including a midseason streak covering eight of 10 matchups. My fade of Dawkins failed last year, and the Knights have reloaded this year with even more talent. But can Dawkins bring it all together?
Dawkins scored five transfers, three of which should contribute immediately. Keyshawn Hall led George Mason in points (16.6) and rebounding (8.1), while shooting 36% from 3P range. Benny Williams is a former Top 50 recruit from Syracuse, who is finally hoping to match production to his skillful 6-foot-10 frame. Jordan Ivy-Curry is a flammable scorer from UTSA and Dawkins certainly hopes that Mikey Williams and Dior Johnson can put their off-the-court issues behind them and reach their massive potential. Dawkins went all in on talent, while trusting his ability to manage legitimate chemistry concerns.
Key Players: Darius Johnson/Jaylin Sellers
Johnson and Sellers are elite two-way players that combined for over 31 PPG, 7.0 RPG and 3.3 SPG. Johnson is also an elite 3P shooter that shot over 39% on 180 3PA. These two stars combined for 355 3PA while each shooting over 80% from the free-throw line. There are several transfers and multiple players with character concerns, but they will follow Johnson and Sellers. These two are good enough to put UCF back in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2019 season, and only the second time in Dawkins’ nine years in Orlando.
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