The Pac-12 semifinals have officially arrived as the Oregon Ducks will look to upset the top-seeded UCLA Bruins in the Sin City! It is time to check out our Pac-12 Tournament odds series where our Oregon-UCLA prediction and pick will be revealed.
Oregon took care of business in a thrilling win over the Washington State Cougars as they kept their slim March Madness hopes alive with the five-point win. Considered a true bubble team at this point in time with a 19-13 record, the Ducks could punch their ticket to the big dance if they can defeat a team with the caliber UCLA possesses.
As for the Bruins, it was UCLA that had to claw their way to a victory over Colorado by pouring it on in the final moments resulting in an 80-69 triumph over the Buffaloes. With the absence of Jaylen Clark moving forward, other players were needed to put together standout performances to put the Bruins on top. With a number-one seed hanging in the balance for UCLA come NCAA Tournament time, there is no question that the Bruins need to keep winning to capture that rarified feat.
Here are the Oregon-UCLA college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Oregon-UCLA Odds
Oregon: +5.5 (-110)
UCLA: -5.5 (-110)
Over: 134.5 (-110)
Under: 134.5 (-110)
How To Watch Oregon vs. UCLA
TV: Pac-12 Tournament
Stream: Pac-12 App
Time: 9:00 ET/6:00 PT
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Oregon Could Cover The Spread
At first glance, the Ducks have had a down year compared to their lofty standards, but Oregon still does have some talent on the court that can make life fairly difficult for their opponents. With a 15-16 record against the spread so far this season, Oregon isn't accustomed to getting into high-octane shootouts with teams, and instead must play rock-solid defense to keep this electric UCLA offense in check. On paper, the Ducks also don't shoot all that well from the floor, so Oregon will need to make it a priority to drive to the basket as much as possible with the hopes that they can get the Bruins in foul trouble and accumulate some attempts at the free-throw line.
In addition, making the Bruins feel uncomfortable on the offensive end of the floor by creating havoc and forcing turnovers will be critical. Against Washington State, it was Oregon that strung together some big-time stops down the stretch that resulted in the Ducks embarking on a 7-0 run late that ultimately put them on top for good.
Without a doubt, it also helps that Oregon will enter play tonight as one of the Pac-12's hottest teams, as the Ducks have now won four-straight contests to now put them in a position to make a run at the NCAA Tournament. However, Oregon will be going up against a UCLA squad that has eleven consecutive victories to their name, so the margin of error for the Ducks will need to be extremely minuscule to pull off the upset and cover the spread.
Why UCLA Could Cover The Spread
While the belief of the Bruins is one that includes some mystery behind their national championship aspirations with the loss of Defensive Player of the Year in Jaylen Clark, UCLA has different plans to officially put the rest of the nation on notice. First things first, few teams from around the country have as dynamic of a one-two punch than what the Bruins have with guards Tyger Campbell and Jaime Jacquez. Not only do the electric pairing have an exuberant amount of experience, but their skill sets are second to none. After a quite outing from Jacquez that resulted in him scoring only a silent 16 points versus Colorado, expect the all-conference 6'7″ guard to inflict damage early with his tremendous footwork down low and shooting ability from the perimeter.
In addition, another phenomenal outing from freshman Amari Bailey and his 26 points against Colorado would be an additional sight for sore eyes for a Bruins bunch that will be relying on others to step up in a big way. From the opening tip-off, it was Bailey that remained aggressive with the basketball in his hands and was a thorn in the Buffaloes' side all afternoon long on Thursday. While a repeated effort from Bailey will be tough to come by again, a balanced effort from the Bruins' starting lineup and bench will be needed to keep the Ducks on their heels defensively.
Alas, don't forget to keep your eyes peeled on UCLA's length down low that will surely give Oregon fits throughout this one. Whether it is forward Adem Bona sending shots back with the utmost authority, or the Bruins as a whole getting after the offensive glass, expect UCLA to establish an edge within the paint early on.
Final Oregon-UCLA Prediction & Pick
If Oregon can somehow down UCLA, their March Madness dreams would almost certainly come true. However, this will end up being a tough ask, as the Bruins are far too talented and are a better team against the spread this season with a 19-12 overall record in that department.
Final Oregon-UCLA Prediction & Pick: UCLA -5.5 (-110)
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