9:45 pm
March 28

NCAA Tournament West Region: #7 Oregon v. #6 USC

Who will WIN this matchup?

#7 Oregon Ducks (22-6)

#6 USC Trojans (24-7)

 

Current odds:

Oregon Ducks: (+115)

USC Trojans: (-135)

 

• The line for this game is USC by 2 points.

• Emblematic of the Pac-12’s surprising success in the 2021 NCAA Tournament, sixth-seeded Southern California and No. 7 seed Oregon will meet in a Sweet 16 game in the West Region on Saturday night in Indianapolis.

• The teams met just once in the regular season — another game didn’t get played due to COVID-19 issues within the Ducks program — with the Trojans dominating 72-58 on Feb. 22 in Los Angeles. That was Oregon’s only loss in its final 11 regular-season games.

• Oregon (21-6) advanced past the first round when VCU dropped out due to COVID-19 positive tests, and then put on an athletic display to dazzle second-seeded Iowa 95-80. Four players scored at least 23 points, led by Chris Duarte’s 23, and the Ducks assisted on 25 of 38 baskets while shooting 55.9 percent.

• The Ducks found their stride late in the season once they moved past scheduling pauses and other health issues. Duarte leads the way with 17.0 points per game, followed by Rutgers transfer Eugene Omoruyi (16.7).

• Omoruyi, at 6-foot-6, is part of a wave of similarly sized starters who usually more than hold their own on the glass — like against Iowa — due to their athleticism. USC, however, is a different beast as one of the longest teams in the country, led by 7-foot freshman Evan Mobley, the Pac-12 Player of the Year.

• The Trojans had a 39-25 rebounding edge in the first meeting against Oregon.

• Mobley had 10 points, 13 rebounds and five assists in Monday night’s triumph over Kansas, while his 6-10 brother, Isaiah Mobley, poured in 17 points while hitting 4 of 5 shots from 3-point range.

• USC enters with a plus-7.2 rebounding advantage and uses its length around the rim to hold teams to 38.7 percent shooting for the season. The Trojans limited NCAA Tournament foes Drake and Kansas to a combined 29.2 percent (38 of 130) from the field.

• USC is playing in its first Sweet 16 since 2007. Oregon has now reached the regional semifinals in four of the past five tournaments.

4/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
#6 USC Trojans
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