It's time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a Montana Oregon prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Montana Oregon
The Oregon Ducks saved their season this past March, making the big run to the Pac-12 Tournament championship when their at-large chances were done. They had to get the automatic bid to make the NCAA Tournament, and they were able to come through. Oregon erased a big first-half deficit against Arizona in the semifinals and was then able to beat Colorado in the final to break its streak of missing NCAA Tournaments. Dana Altman rescued his season at the very last instant. That turnaround, followed by a solid showing in the NCAA Tournament, gives Oregon fresh momentum at the start of this new college basketball season. The Ducks were a very strong program for many years under Altman. They lost their touch for a few years. Do they have it back? That's a question everyone is asking this season.
Oregon started off with a solid win over UC Riverside, winning by 15 points. The Ducks weren't dominant, but they had a working margin of close to 10 points for the last 25 minutes of that game. They gained a cushion with a few minutes left in the first half and maintained that cushion throughout the second half. They did not allow that game to go down to the wire. They didn't play with their food the way they did so many times over the past two seasons. That has to give Altman a measure of reassurance that the Ducks are going to be steadier and more stable this season. That's one thing Oregon needs to display in order to convince everyone the Ducks are going to get back to where they think they belong, as an upper-tier team in college basketball.
Here are the Montana-Oregon College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel
College Basketball Odds: Montana-Oregon Odds
Montana: +16.5 (-118)
Moneyline: +1060
Oregon: -16.5 (-104)
Moneyline: -2300
Over: 150.5 (-106)
Under: 150.5 (-114)
How to Watch Montana vs Oregon
Time: 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT
TV: Big Ten Network
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why Montana Will Cover The Spread/Win
Montana played a cupcake in its first game of the season. The Grizzlies faced a non-Division I opponent. In truth, we can't really gain or learn too much from such a game. However, if you're going to play a cupcake, you better win big and look good doing it. Montana won by 31 and showed great chemistry and continuity on the court. If Montana had stumbled to an ugly eight-point win against a tomato can, there would be much less reason to think the Grizzlies can keep this game close, but because they delivered a blowout right out of the gate, that offers some cause for optimism here.
The other obvious point to make is that Oregon won by only 15 in its opener and led by less than that — 10 to 12 points — for a large portion of that game versus UC Riverside. Oregon needs to show it can run away with a game before we trust the Ducks with a 16.5-point spread.
Why Oregon Will Cover The Spread/Win
Oregon was solid, not spectacular, in game one of its season. If the Ducks improve to any considerable degree in their second game, they will cover the 16.5-point spread. An Oregon bet is based on real improvement from the Riverside game.
Final Montana-Oregon Prediction & Pick
The spread seems well-calibrated. The game seems likely to hover around the number late in regulation. We think you should pass on this one.
Final Montana-Oregon Prediction & Pick: Oregon -16.5
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