The Oregon Ducks knocked off a juggernaut in the Elite Eight when they dispatched No. 1 seed Kansas. If they can pull the trick again, they will find themselves in the national championship game. The third-seeded Ducks will face off against the No. 1 seed North Carolina Tar Heels in a marquee showdown.
Oregon may have a fan advantage because of the proximity to its campus, although North Carolina is a national brand with a fanbase that travels well. In the end it will come down to which team plays better on the field.
The Ducks looked great last time out but will be the underdogs. North Carolina used a buzzer-beater to knock off Kentucky and will now be a bigger favorite against Oregon to advance to the title game against either Gonzaga or South Carolina.
At 8:49 p.m. ET, tune into CBS for live television coverage of this NCAA basketball game on Saturday, April 1, 2017, at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
We'll have NCAA basketball odds available for this and every game on the college basketball Saturday schedule.
College Basketball Odds
North Carolina is 31-7 straight up and 20-16-2 against the spread. The Tar Heels have played in nine neutral site games and have gone 5-3-1 in those matchups, pushing with the two-point win over Kentucky last time out. North Carolina is 20-14-2 against the spread as the favorite on the year.
Oregon is 33-5 straight up and 22-14-1 against the spread. The Ducks have played in 11 neutral site games and have covered in six of them. Oregon has played in four games on the year and has covered in three of them.
Key Stat
0.3. That’s how many seconds were remaining when North Carolina’s Luke Maye nailed the game-winning jumpshot in the Elite Eight against Kentucky. Malik Monk had just hit a three-pointer to tie the game for Kentucky and the game seemed headed for overtime but Maye ended it as the hero.
The game went back and forth until North Carolina grabbed control down the stretch. The Wildcats did a nice job of rallying, but the Tar Heels were able to hold on for the win.
North Carolina made it to the Elite Eight by knocking off Texas Southern, Arkansas and Butler in the three previous rounds. The Tar Heels won the ultra-competitive ACC in the regular season and have been among the nation’s best teams all year long.
Player to Watch
Jordan Bell -- The Oregon forward was fantastic against Kansas, and with North Carolina’s tough frontcourt, he will be counted on to have another big performance. Bell registered 11 points, 13 rebounds and eight blocks in the win against the Jayhawks, constantly bottling up the lane when Kansas tried to score in the paint.
He is averaging 10.9 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game on the season. Oregon lost Chris Boucher before the tournament started and the thinking was his absence was going to really hurt the Ducks in the interior. Instead, Bell has stepped up in a huge way.
If Bell can affect the game like he did against the Jayhawks, Oregon will have a good shot at the upset.
Free College Basketball ATS Picks
This is an intriguing matchup. Bell, Tyler Dorsey and Dillon Brooks have played extremely well throughout the tournament and can match up toe-to-toe with North Carolina.
The question is about the Ducks’ depth. Their role players will need to hit some big shots because those three can’t do it alone. In the end, the Tar Heels are more talented throughout their roster, and that should be enough to pull away.
While this one should be competitive for most of the showdown, North Carolina is the pick to win the game because of its superior depth.
College Basketball Odds: North Carolina 83, Oregon 76
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