The Oregon Ducks lost two of their first four games but have since turned into one of the hottest teams in the nation. They will aim to stay undefeated in Pac-12 play by knocking off the Washington Huskies.
Oregon must go on the road for this one so it won’t be easy, but it the clearly superior team and should be favored. Washington has lost five of its past eight games and needs to turn it around to have any hope of making it to the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.
A marquee win over Oregon would be a huge chip, but it’s a lot to ask based on how well the Ducks are playing at this juncture.
This war on the floor will go down Wednesday, January 4, 2017, at 9 p.m. ET at Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle, Washington.
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Odds at BookMaker.eu
Oregon is 13-2 straight up and 6-8 against the spread on the season. The Ducks have only played one true road game this season and failed to cover in it. Oregon has been the favorite in 12 of its game and has covered the spread in five of those.
Washington is 7-6 straight up and 5-8 against the spread. The Huskies have played nine game this season and have covered in four of them. They lost their most recent home game by five points to the Washington State Cougars.
Player to Watch
Markelle Fultz -- Washington’s best chance at hanging around in this one is a big game from its best player. Fultz is a freshman guard who has burst onto the scene in a hurry.
The big-time recruit has lived up to the hype, averaging 22.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game. Fultz is shooting 49.5 percent from the floor and 45 percent from three-point range. He is a likely one-and-done player at Washington who will be an early NBA draft pick.
If the Huskies can win this game, Fultz will certainly lead the way as he will be the best player on the court. The issue is that Washington’s supporting cast has not played well enough to help result in enough team success early on.
Letdown Situation
Oregon couldn’t have started conference play any better, knocking off two undefeated teams in the Pac-12 back-to-back. The Ducks started with an upset over then-No. 2 UCLA when Dillon Brooks hit a three-pointer with less than one second remaining to steal the win.
They followed that up with a rout USC by a score of 84-61. The Ducks were beaten by Georgetown and Baylor in non-conference play but have now reeled off 11 consecutive victories.
Oregon is obviously playing well and will move up in the national rankings after such an impressive display. The concern is the loss of focus after such a great start. Oregon is the better team in this one but any lulls could allow Washington to cover.
Free College Basketball ATS Picks
While UCLA and Arizona figure to be in the running throughout the conference season, Oregon has started Pac-12 play off very nicely and is certainly among the favorites.
The Ducks picked up a pair of crucial home wins but they also have to prove their worth on the road. This is a very winnable game and one the team should be able to grab.
While Fultz is a star, Oregon has Brooks and better depth behind him. The Ducks should be able to pull this one out, although it will likely be closer than hoped, which could allow the Huskies
to cover the spread. Check out how many points Washington will get when the line is determined.
College Basketball Odds: Oregon 87, Washington 82
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