The Holy Cross Crusaders’ magical season is still alive after winning their First Four game on Wednesday. They’ll look to extend their bewildering March Madness run this Friday against the top-seeded Oregon Ducks from the West Region’s side of the bracket.
Will Holy Cross become the first team in NCAA Tournament history to upset a No. 1 seed in the Round of 64, or will Oregon’s talent prove to be leagues ahead of their opponent? Let’s take a closer look at this compelling matchup below.
Afterwards, head on over to our previews for Kansas vs. Austin Peay, North Carolina vs. Florida Gulf Coast and Virginia vs. Hampton for the rest of the Big Dance’s intriguing No. 1 vs. No. 16 battles.
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March Madness No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 16 Holy Cross Preview
Where: Spokane Memorial Arena, Spokane
When: Friday, March 18, 7:27 PM ET
Line: Oregon Ducks vs. Holy Cross Crusaders – view all March Madness lines
TV Broadcast: CBS
Betting on the Oregon Ducks
Oregon enters the tournament having won eight-consecutive games and 14 of their last 16 overall, including the emphatic 88-57 drubbing of Utah in the conference championship game. With such a momentous run and March Madness, the Ducks have finally shown that their school has more to offer that just a great football program.
In terms of statistics, the team pretty much runs on tight offensive execution rather than simply going guns-a-blazing. Although the Ducks are just 46th in the nation in scoring (78.8 PPG), they’re actually 11th overall in offensive efficiency (117.8) as per KenPom.
That goes without saying that Ducks also excel in defense down in the post. Their 5.8 blocks per game is good enough for third overall this season, with standout big man Christopher Boucher topping the NCAA in swats a little over three blocks per contest.
In fact, size does indeed matter for this team. Boucher, who averages 12.1 points per game, is only one of three Oregon players who averaged double-digit scoring for the season along with Dillion Brooks (16.7 PPG) and Elgin Cook (14.5). Let’s just see how Holy Cross can overcome such a frightening trio of versatile forwards this coming Friday.
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Betting on the Holy Cross Crusaders
Well, well, well… The No. 16 Holy Cross Crusaders are still in the thick of March Madness fever! With a tense 59-55 victory over the Southern Jaguars on Wednesday, Holy Cross won its first NCAA Tournament game since 1953.
What’s promising about these Crusaders during that contest was how they stayed composed during the final stretch and ultimately punched its ticket for a date with Oregon. They made all eight of their free-throw attempts in the last couple of minutes or so, with the team’s literal top guy in Robert Champion knocking in four of those clutch shots.
Not only that, but Champion also drill a three from deep late to create enough leeway on the scoreboard for the Jaguars to overcome, and finished with 19 points for the night.
Unlike the Ducks, Holy Cross made use of superb defense against Southern for the victory as the team held the Jaguars to just 39.3-percent field goal shooting and 3-of-20 from beyond the arc. Who would’ve thought that this unheralded program from the Patriot League would go on two win its conference as the ninth seed of the tournament and still amaze on an even bigger stage, right?
Then again, the team that they just defeated were just as awful as they are all things considered, and their overall offense and defense is still in the sub-200 range across Division I, so we still expect them to be completely overwhelmed on Friday with the drastic uptick in the level of talent that they will face in the mighty Ducks (of Oregon, just to be clear).
Writer’s Prediction
Oregon puts an end to Holy Cross’ Cinderella season with ease.
