Going into the Pac-12 Tournament quarterfinals, the Oregon Ducks find themselves on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament. They can help their cause with some wins during this tournament, starting with this contest against the Washington State Cougars. Here, we make our college basketball betting picks for this Washington State vs Oregon matchup that could decide the fate of the Ducks.
Washington State vs Oregon Betting Pick
| ℹ️ The Pick: | Oregon -2.5 |
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This game will be played at T-Mobile Arena at 5:30 PM ET on Thursday, March 9, 2023.
Why Bet On Oregon:
✅ Oregon has everything to play for here, as they look to move up in the eyes of the NCAA Tournament selection committee. Expect them to play with a sense of urgency as a result.
✅ Washington State has won seven games in a row, but there are some smoke and mirrors involved there. All but one of those wins (which did come against Oregon, to be fair) were against bottom-four teams in the Pac-12.
✅ Oregon does also have a win over Washington State this season, as these teams split their season series, with the home team winning each game.
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Washington State Cougars: Can Prove They Are Legit With a Win
The Washington State Cougars have been red-hot of late, winning seven games in a row. But a closer inspection of that winning streak shows that they have largely been fattening up on some of the weaker teams in the Pac-12. Here, the Cougars can prove that they are better than they are being given credit for if they can beat the Oregon Ducks in Las Vegas.
Washington State has already won one of the two Washington State vs Oregon matchups that have taken place this season. In that win, they turned the ball over just six times. Similar care for the basketball will be required if the Cougars are going to get a win here and raise questions as to why they are not being discussed on the bubble.
Oregon Ducks: A Season Defining Game in the Desert
The Oregon Ducks come into the Pac-12 Tournament in the fourth spot in the conference standings. But they are projected as outside of the NCAA Tournament field by ESPN’s Joe Lunardi. That means that Oregon needs to keep winning if they want to solidify a place in the tournament, as they likely cannot afford a loss to Washington State.
Oregon looked like it was on its way to a regular season sweep of Washington State, as they led their second meeting in Pullman going into halftime. But they allowed 41 points in the second half of that road game to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Here, it is going to take a full 40 minutes of defensive intensity to prevent Oregon’s season from potentially coming to an end.
