No.6-seed South Carolina looks to keep silencing the critics when they take on the No.11-seed Oregon Ducks in the first round of March Madness. The winner of this game will advance to take on the winner of Creighton and Akron in the other game at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. It is time to continue our men's college basketball odds series with an Oregon-South Carolina prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.
Oregon was on the outside looking in for March Madness before the Pac-12 tournament but ran the table to get the bid as tournament champions. The Ducks upset Arizona 67-59 in the semifinals to advance to a championship matchup with Colorado. Oregon had another upset, winning the tournament and grabbing a No. 11 seed. Their tournament win had other implications, as Arizona fell to a No. 2 seed and Colorado must take on Boise State in a First Four game to even get into the first round.
South Carolina was projected to be the worst out of 14 teams in the SEC this season. They went 11-21 last season and lost three of their four starters. It looked like a lost season for second-year head coach Lamont Paris. However, Paris led the team on an astounding 9-2 run to start SEC play, including wins over conference powerhouses Kentucky and Tennessee. The Gamecocks finished one game behind Tennessee for the SEC regular season title. South Carolina's run ended with an 86-55 thrashing at the hands of Auburn in a quarterfinal game.
Here are the college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
March Madness Odds: Oregon-South Carolina Odds
Oregon: +1.5 (-115)
Moneyline: +100
South Carolina: -1.5 (-105)
Moneyline: -120
Over: 132.5 (-110)
Under: 132.5 (-110)
How to Watch March Madness
Time: 4 PM ET/1 PM PT
TV: TNT
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why Oregon Will Cover The Spread/Win
Oregon's 115th-ranked offense will be a tough test for South Carolina in this matchup, as the Ducks average 75.3 points per game. One of the Ducks' strengths is three-point shooting, which may be South Carolina's biggest issue with defending.
Oregon's defense has been below average this season, but so has the Gamecocks' offense. South Carolina ranks 227th in the nation, averaging 72 points per game. Oregon is 201st, allowing 71.9 points per game.
Why South Carolina Will Cover The Spread/Win
South Carolina may have proved most doubters right when Auburn dominated in the quarterfinals. However, Oregon's resume could also raise questions about how they will fare in the tournament. The Ducks got hot during the tournament, but haven't been a tournament team all season. They played just four tournament teams in Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, and Washington State. Their record is boosted by Quad 3 and 4 wins, as they were only 3-6 against Quad 1 opponents this season.
South Carolina's defense held on for most of the season against difficult SEC opponents. They ranked 39th in the country, allowing 67 points per game. The Gamecocks also had an astounding against-the-spread record, which may be boosted by a lack of belief in the team. South Carolina was 23-10 against the spread this season.
Final Oregon-South Carolina Prediction & Pick
South Carolina's most recent loss against Auburn gives reason to believe the doubts about the Gamecocks were right. South Carolina may not go far in this tournament, and whichever team wins this game will get run over in the next round by Creighton.
Oregon's failure to perform well against Quad 1 teams this season makes it difficult to take the Ducks in this matchup. They got hot for the conference tournament, but the Pac-12 was the worst power conference in the country. Oregon hasn't had to play many good teams this season, and when they did, they finished 3-6. Take South Carolina to keep their run going for one more game in a battle of two underwhelming teams.
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Final Oregon-South Carolina Prediction & Pick: South Carolina -1.5 (-105)
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