The college basketball season has been a wild one up to this point, and that trend is only going to continue as we get closer to the month of March. There is a big matchup in the Pac-12 Conference on Thursday night as the Oregon Ducks are set to visit the Stanford Cardinal.
Oregon is coming into this game with an overall record of 17-9, and they might be on the outside looking in when the brackets are unveiled. The Ducks have lost two of their last four games, and that’s just not going to be good enough without a big turnaround.
Stanford has really struggled again throughout the season, but they also have some interesting wins. The Cardinal come into this game at 12-13 on the year, and they have lost four of their last five games.
Stanford is a slim 1.5-point betting favorite in this game, and the over/under for total points is set at 149.5.
Ducks Need to Defend
Oregon seems to have a pretty simple formula for winning games this season, but they haven’t always followed it. The Ducks just held Oregon State to 58 points in their most recent win, and they need to set the tone on defense in this game.
The overall numbers show that this team is allowing nearly 72 points per game, and that could create some issues against a good Stanford offense. Oregon does have the ability to score points of their own though, especially when they are making shots from the perimeter.
Guard Jermaine Cuisnard is leading the way with 14.8 points per game this season, and he will be looking to set the tone for his team.
Stanford Speeds Things Up
Most Stanford games have been fun to watch this season, but that doesn’t mean that this team is always playing well. The Cardinal are averaging 77.5 points per game this season, but they are also allowing 76 points on the other end of the floor.
Forward Maxime Raynaud is averaging 15.1 points per game to lead the team, and that is something to keep an eye on in this game. Stanford wants to shoot the ball from deep, but their best scoring option is in the paint.
The Cardinal must find a way to keep Oregon from getting easy buckets in this one, and that is where they might struggle in a major way.
Ducks Deliver Big Win
This Stanford team will be pushing the tempo on Thursday night, but that game plan could end up backfiring on them in a major way. Stanford just hasn’t been a good defensive team all season long, and that is going to lead to some serious issues.
Oregon just hasn’t been able to figure out how to be consistent on offense, but there will be some chances to score in this game. The Ducks have a speed and athleticism advantage in this matchup and that should lead to some easy scores.
Bet on the Oregon Ducks moneyline as they are going to set the tone early in this game before cruising to an impressive win.
