The No. 13-ranked Oregon Ducks (22-6) will try to slow down the Pac-12’s top scoring team when they take on the Washington Huskies (16-12) at Matthew Knight Arena. Action starts at 8:30 pm ET on Sunday, Feb. 28 and will air on ESU and ES3.
The Ducks come into this game on a high note after defeating Washington State 76-62 on Wednesday. Elgin Cook was the game’s high scorer with 24 points on 7-for-13 shooting. The Huskies are coming off a tough 82-81 loss at the hands of Oregon State on Wednesday. Andrew Andrews had a game-high 30 points.
Dillon Brooks has taken his game to another level as of late for the Ducks, averaging 21.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 three-pointers over the last five games.
The Ducks are looking to build on their records of 22-6 Straight Up (SU) and 13-11-1 Against The Spread (ATS). Oregon has left their fans wanting more on the defensive side recently. The Ducks have given up an average of 80.6 points to opponents in their last 10 games, well over their defense’s season average of 68.6 PPG. The Ducks are the 50th-best team in the country at taking the ball away from their opponents, averaging 7.5 steals per game. Expect Oregon to have lots of opportunities at the line against the Huskies, who are one of the most foul-prone teams in the nation with an average of 24.3 fouls per game.
As for their opponent, Washington has a SU record of 16-12 and an ATS record of 16-11. Washington is one of the better rebounding teams in Division I. The Huskies average 40.5 rebounds per game, making them the 20th-best team in the country for that category. The Huskies average 79.5 points allowed per game, but have improved upon those numbers in the past 10 games, allowing 72.6 points per game during that span. When it comes to defending the rim, the Huskies are the best in the nation with an average of 7.1 blocks per game.
This game marks the season’s first head-to-head clash between these conference foes. Their previous game was a Ducks victory, bumping their SU record to 6-4 over Washington in their most recent meetings. However, Washington leads the matchup ATS with a record of 7-3. Oregon and Washington each held the edge in three key areas (field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers) once in their last five meetings.
Predictions: SU Winner – Wash, ATS Winner – Wash
Notes
Oregon averages 77.7 points per game (ranked 64th). Washington, on the other hand, allows 79.5 points per game (ranked 248th).
Oregon scores 80.3 points per home game (ranked 68th). Washington ranks a poor 253rd in points allowed on the road, allowing 85.1 points.
In its last game, Washington lost by a margin of one point. Oregon is 1-1 in games decided by a margin of three points or less. Washington has a 3-3 record in close games.
The Oregon Ducks have a defensive rating of 99.2 (ranked 61st), while the Washington Huskies have an offensive rating of 105.7 (ranked 185th).
The Washington Huskies average a field goal percentage of 42.3% this season. The Oregon Ducks have a winning 11-6 record in games where opponents have a FG% of 42.3% or greater.
The Oregon Ducks and the Washington Huskies both rank higher in average field goal percentage when compared to their effective field goal percentages. Oregon is 84th and 59th in the nation for eFG% and FG% respectively, while Washington ranks 272nd and 262nd in these categories.
Washington ranks 98th in assists, recording 14.6 per game. Oregon performs worse at 135th with 13.9 assists per game.
Among all teams in the nation, Washington is the number one team in blocked shots, registering 7.1 per game. Oregon ranks slightly lower in total blocks at fourth (6.1 per game).
When it comes to offensive rebounds, Washington ranks eighth. Oregon ranks 258th in defensive rebounds.
Though Washington is one of the best in the country in forcing turnovers with opponents averaging a TO% of 21.2% (ranked 25th), Oregon is undefeated (6-0) when its TO% is 21.2% or greater.
