Oregon vs. Utah Odds
| Oregon Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+5.5 -115 | 137.5 -110o / -110u | +175 |
| Utah Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-5.5 -105 | 137.5 -110o / -110u | -210 |
Oregon closed out 2022 with a 77-68 home win over rival Oregon State. However, none of that momentum carried into 2023 as Oregon was routed 68-41 in Boulder by Colorado. Oregon fell to 8-7and will need a quick response as it heads to Salt Lake City to battle the Utah Utes on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Utah also picked up a win against Oregon State, 79-60, in its last time out. That was Utah's third straight win and improved the Utes record to 12-3. The Utes are 5-0 in the Pac-12 and also have a win over Arizona on their resume.
Oregon has dominated this series, winning 21 of the past 23 meetings. The Ducks have won the past nine meetings overall and the past eight in Utah. However, the Utes are home favorites this year.
Oregon Ducks
A lot has to go wrong for a team to score 41 points in 40 minutes and that was the case for Oregon. The Ducks shot 27% from the field and 57% from the line. They were 1-for-14 from three and turned the ball over 12 times. Unfortunately for Oregon, it struggled in all areas on the same night, but it has for much of the season as well.
Oregon shoots 29% from three and 65% at the free-throw line, which rank 327th and 318, respectively. It is also 237th in turnover percentage.
One bright spot for the Ducks was guard Jermaine Couisnard, who scored nine points in his first game of the season. The South Carolina transfer averaged double figures in each of the past three seasons, including 12 points per game last year.
Oregon will need a better effort from guard Will Richardson, the team's leading scorer and primary facilitator. He scored five points on 1-for-9 shooting in 30 minutes. However, he is averaging 14.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 5.5 rebounds per game.
Oregon functions offensively because it makes 53.5% of its two-point attempts — which also accounts for 53.4% of its offense. It also rebounds 33.5% of its misses and ranks 49th in offensive rebounding percentage. Oregon's trio of seven-foot centers can be difficult to handle inside.
N'Faly Dante averages 12.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and shots 59% from the field. Off the bench, Kel'el Ware averages 8.5 points and five rebounds, while Nate Bittle averages 5.7 points and 4.6 rebounds. Thursday's game was Bittle's first action since November.
That trio also makes Oregon formidable defensively. Oregon ranks 16th nationally in block rate. It is holding opponents to 41% shooting from the field and 46% on two-point attempts. The Ducks are holding opponents to 65.2 points per game.
Utah Utes
Utah may be the best team no one in the Pac-12 is talking about and its defense has led the way. Utah is holding opponents to 60.9 points per game, just behind UCLA in the Pac-12. The Utes rank 17th in adjusted defensive efficiency and 16th in defensive rating. They also rank in the top six nationally in two-point percentage defense, three-point percentage defense and effective field goal percentage defense.
Utah has its own seven footer to match the Ducks size. Branden Carlson is averaging 15.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. He can also stretch out and shoot the three, shooting 40% on three attempts per game. Against Oregon State, he tied his career high with 27 points and also pulled down 11 rebounds.
Gabe Madsen is averaging 13.1 points and shooting 40% from three on seven attempts per game. Lazar Stefanovic is averaging 10.1 points and shooting 39.7% from behind the arc. The Utes shoot 36% from three as a team.
Marco Anthony complements them well as a slashing wing and also had a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds against Oregon State. He is averaging 11.4 points, 6.9 rebounds and shooting 54.8% from the field. Guard Rollie Worster fills up the stat sheet with 8.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game.
Oregon vs. Utah Betting Pick
Just when it looks like Oregon is ready to start trending in the right direction, it falls flat on its face again. Utah has been tough at home and will make it tough for the Ducks, who scored just 41 points at Colorado, to score.
The Utes are 8-1 in home games and have yet to allow to a team to score 70 points at home. Conversely, the Utes are outscoring opponents by 21.7 points per game at home. Another balanced scoring effort should get the job done against Oregon.
Oregon has dominated this series, but I expect that to end Saturday. I like Utah to win by six points and I would not be surprised if it won by double digits.
Pick: Utah -4.5 |
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