USC vs. Oregon Predictions & Sweet 16 Picks: USC Advances to Elite 8
USC vs. Oregon Predictions & Sweet 16 Picks: USC Advances to Elite 8
Not only is Sunday’s game between No. 7 Oregon and No. 6 USC the last game of the Sweet Sixteen, but it’s also the only game of the entire round that feature two teams from the same conference. USC and Oregon will meet Sunday in Indianapolis for the second time this season.
In any normal year, this would be the third, or perhaps fourth, time these two teams had met. But one of their matchups was cancelled during the season due to COVID-19 and they never faced off in the Pac-12 tournament.
No team, no matter what their seed, has had a trip to the Sweet 16 quite like the Oregon Ducks. Just hours before their Round 1 matchup with No. 10 VCU, the game was ruled a no contest and Oregon advanced because of positive COVID-19 tests for the Rams. In Round 2, they dominated No. 2 Iowa to move on.
USC has looked great in both its wins. The Trojans followed a Round 1 win over Drake with a win over No. 3 Kansas. Despite being the higher seed, the Trojans were favored at every sportsbook by opening tip.
So, which team will move on? Let’s take a look.
USC vs. Oregon Early Odds
This will now be the third straight game of the tournament that USC will be favored, despite coming in as a six seed. The Trojans start as two-point favorites in most places and have -130 odds on the moneyline
| Team | Point Spread | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|
| USC | -2 | -130 |
| Oregon | +2 | +115 |
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USC vs. Oregon Against The Spread Pick
The lone time these two Pac-12 schools met this year came in late February in a game that USC dominated early and coasted to a 72-58 win. Guard Tahj Eaddy led the way for the Trojans with 24 points.
This time, I think we’re going to see much more Evan Mobley, as we have throughout the tournament, than we will see from Eaddy. Mobley has played great basketball throughout the month of March and has a freakish ability to extend the floor for a 7-footer. He is the x-factor in almost every matchup the Trojans have because of the different ways he can beat you.
Oregon senior guard Chris Duarte, who missed some time this season with lingering injuries, leads the way for the Ducks, fresh off his 23-point performance against Iowa.
The real matchup to watch here is Mobley against Oregon forward Eugene Omoruyi. With N’Faly Dante gone for the season, the Ducks are going to need a huge game from Omoruyi, and I just don’t think he’s going to be able to get the best of the massive USC frontcourt.