Oregon vs Utah Odds
| Oregon Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+5 -110 | 152.5 -115o / -105u | N/A |
| Utah Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-5 -110 | 152.5 -115o / -105u | N/A |
The Pac-12 is starving for more NCAA Tournament bids. Right now, Arizona is the only thing saving the conference from total mediocrity. The Oregon Ducks and Utah Utes are two of the other potential tournament options.
With the Ducks heading to Salt Lake City on Sunday, let's break down both teams in our Oregon vs. Utah preview and prediction.
Oregon Ducks
Despite holding a 13-5 record, Oregon is sitting on the outside looking in when it comes to an NCAA Tournament bid. That’s a result of beating bad teams, only holding one win over Quad 1 opponents (at Washington State.) This game presents another Quad 1 win opportunity.
Mahamadou Diawara and freshman Kwame Evans Jr. were forced into pressure minutes quickly because of injuries. Evans, in particular, got better game by game and is now a trustworthy bench piece for the healthy Ducks.
Jackson Shelstad, a freshman point guard from West Linn, Oregon, has completely boosted Oregon’s upside. It’s only fitting he hails from the same high school as program legend Payton Pritchard. Shelstad leads the team with 14.3 points per game on efficient shooting (50% from the field and 43% from deep).
Defense has been a struggle for the Ducks so far, with Oregon ranking 94th in defensive efficiency, according to KenPom. That’s a problem against the hyper-efficient Utah offense. Oregon struggled in the first portion of its road trip, allowing 85 points against Colorado in Boulder.
How will the second leg of the trip treat Oregon?
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Utah Utes
The Utes are the No. 2-ranked Pac-12 team in KenPom — sitting at 23rd overall with the 21st-best offense in America. The Pac-12 is really hoping Utah continues winning games to give the conference a surefire second tournament team.
If you want an idea of how good Utah is at home, just ask BYU. The Cougars walked into their rivals court in Salt Lake City and went back to Provo with a loss. That’s a top-10 team in KenPom that Utah defeated at the Huntsman Center. It’s not like Utah is just beating bad teams at home — it’s beat some worthy opponents so far.
There’s no real weak point in the Utes' offensive attack. The team ranks 36th in effective field goal percentage, only turns the ball over 16% of the time and shoots 36% from 3.
Star big man Branden Carlson ushers the balanced attack, averaging 17 points and seven rebounds per contest. Coach Craig Smith has the luxury of playing the versatile 7-footer at the four because of his athleticism and shooting ability.
The Utes offense lacked explosiveness at the guard spot prior to Deivon Smith becoming eligible. The Georgia Tech transfer is terrific at using his speed to attract defenders into the paint and kick to shooters, like Gabe Madsen and Cole Bajema.
Madsen’s shooting can turn Utah’s offense from a really good one into a great one. The 6-foot-5 guard shoots over 45% from downtown. Even when Madsen isn’t touching the ball, defenses feel his presence roaming around the perimeter.
Oregon vs. Utah
Betting Pick & Prediction
The Utes' home-court advantage is real, and I can’t see Oregon disrupting Utah's unbeaten home record. It feels like the market is low on Utah, which is a borderline top-25 team that grades out well in metrics. The Utes dynamic offense should have success against the questionable Ducks defense.
Pick: Utah -5 (Play to -6)
