Preview: Utah vs. UCF Big 12 basketball game

Following back-to-back road games, the Utah men's basketball team returns to Salt Lake City for a Saturday night tilt with UCF.

Tipoff from the Huntsman Center between the Runnin' Utes (10-16, 2-11 Big 12) and the Knights (18-7, 7-6 Big 12) is set for 7 p.m. MT on ESPN+.

Here's what you need to know about the matchup.

By The Numbers

• Utah snapped a 15-game road losing streak Wednesday with a 61-56 victory over West Virginia.

• Utes guard Seydou Traore stuffed the stat sheet against the Mountaineers, finishing with 17 points, six rebounds, three steals, two blocks and a pair of assists while going 6-of-13 from the field, including 3-of-4 from behind the arc.

• Utah came into Saturday having held its previous five opponents to 66.6 points per game.

• The Utes were among the three worst teams in the Big 12 in rebounding margin going into Saturday despite beating their previous two opponents (Cincinnati and West Virginia) by a combined 19 rebounds.

• As of Friday, Utah ranked No. 112 in the country on KenPom and No. 114 nationally in the NET.

• UCF snapped a three-game losing streak on Tuesday with an 82-71 victory over TCU in Orlando.

• Knights forward Jordan Burks led the way with 23 points against the Horned Frogs, tying his season-high that he set in December in a win over Florida Gulf Coast.

• UCF guard Themus Fulks dished out seven assists on Tuesday, bringing his season average to 6.7 assists per game (second-best in the Big 12).

• The Knights entered Saturday having won their last 19 games against teams ranked outside the top 100 in KenPom.

• Ranked No. 46 in the NET and No. 48 at KenPom, UCF checked in as the East Region's projected No. 10 seed on Joe Lunardi's NCAA Tournament bracketology.

Stat Leaders

Points

Utah: Terrence Brown (20.4 ppg), Don McHenry (17.3 ppg), Keanu Dawes (12.5 ppg)
UCF: Riley Kugel (14 ppg), Themus Fulks (13.6 ppg), Jordan Burks (13 ppg)

Assists

Utah: Terrence Brown (3.8 apg), Obomate Abbey (2.4 apg), Keanu Dawes (2.2 apg)
UCF: Themus Fulks (6.8 apg), Riley Kugel (2.7 apg), Jamichael Stillwell (2 apg)

Rebounds

Utah: Keanu Dawes (9.1 rpg), James Okonkwo (5.7 rpg), Seydou Traore (3.6 rpg)
UCF: Jamichael Stillwell (7.9 rpg), John Bol (5.1 rpg), Jordan Burks (4.4 rpg)

3-point shooting (min. 2.5 attempts per game, 15 games played)

Utah: Kendyl Sanders (40.6%; 2.5 attempts), Don McHenry (38.7%; 6.5 attempts), Seydou Traore (33.9%; 4.4 attempts)
UCF: Carmelo Pacheco (40%; 3.7 attempts per game), Jordan Burks (38.7%; 4.8 attempts per game), Riley Kugel (38.1%; 4.7 attempts per game)

How to Watch UCF vs. Utah

• Date: Saturday, Feb. 21
• Game Time: 6 p.m. PT/7 p.m. MT
• Where: Jon M. Huntsman Center
• How to watch (TV): ESPN+
• Radio: ESPN 700
• KenPom prediction: UCF 81, Utah 79