The Oregon Ducks(+2100 to win the national title) have not lost a game so far this season at home. They are 7-0 straight-up (SU) there in Pac-12 play, too. With the upset-seeking California Golden Bears coming over this Thursday, will the Ducks be able to keep their ground and add another win to their record? Or will California’s momentum help them score a huge victory?
Betting on the California Golden Bears (13-6 Overall / 7-9 Conference)
The Golden Bears are gaining some momentum heading into the Pac-12 tournament. They are on a two-game win streak after beating the No. 21 Colorado Buffaloes in an upset at home on Fe. 27, 76-62, before taking down the Utah Utes — also at home — last Saturday via overtime, 86-79. Although they are among the worst teams in the conference, the Golden Bears appear to have a newfound belief in themselves. California head coach Mark Fox said after the win over Utah that his team is not the same people with that squad people were counting out in the preseason. The Bears also gave Oregon a scare back in January, when they lost to the Ducks by just five points (77-72). The Golden Bears went 9 of 18 from deep in that game and shot 48 percent from the floor but had 14 turnovers, which weighed them down. If they can cut their errors considerably this time around, they should be in a better position to score another upset.
The Golden Bears are 4-1 against the spread (ATS) in their last five games.
Betting on the Oregon Ducks (22-7 Overall / 11-5 Conference)
No matter what happens the rest of the way in conference play, the Ducks are very much likely to make the Big Dance. They are also on the heels of back-to-back wins, having defeated the Arizona Wildcats in Tucson via overtime (73-72) and the Oregon State Beavers in Eugene, 69-54. Senior guard Payton Pritchard is carrying a big load of late. After exploding for 38 points in the Arizona game, he generated 23 points in the win over Oregon State. On the season, Pritchard is averaging 20.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game. Pritchard is the leader of the Oregon team that’s averaging 75.2 points per game and shooting 46.3 percent from the field. The Ducks are 29th in the nation with a 53.5 effective field goal percentage. Pritchard had 21 points in the first meeting with California. As a team, the Ducks shot 51.9 percent from the floor in that game.
