The No.1-seeded Wisconsin Badgers (28-3) and No.8-seeded Oregon Ducks (24-9) meet in the third round of the NCAA tournament at CenturyLink Center – Omaha, NE. Action begins at 7:45 pm ET on Sunday, Mar. 22.
The Badgers come into this game hoping to repeat their last performance, topping Coastal Carolina 86-72 in the second round. Nigel Hayes played a pivotal role with 15 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists. The Ducks, meanwhile, are coming off a 79-73 win against Oklahoma State in the second round. Joseph Young was the game’s top scorer, registering 30 points on 12-for-22 shooting.
The Badgers could put on a ball-control clinic in this one. They’re ranked first in the nation at avoiding errors (TO% of only 12.6%). Additionally, Oregon forces the ninth-fewest turnovers in the nation (26.0%). It will also be a tale of two tempos, as the fast-paced Ducks are ranked 33rd in possessions per game with the methodical Badgers at 344th.
The odds for Wisconsin and Oregon are even, while the Over/Under (O/U) is unavailable as of now. The Badgers have gone 32-3 Straight Up (SU) and 18-16-1 Against The Spread (ATS). The Badgers are one of the best in Division I in terms of field-goal percentage, shooting an impressive .480 from the field. Wisconsin is one of the most disciplined teams in the nation with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.63.
In the other locker room, the Ducks have a record of 19-15 ATS and 26-9 SU. Oregon performed well ATS during its last 10 games, earning an 8-2 record. The Ducks convert their free throws at a high percentage, ranking 11th in the nation at .759.
These two will be squaring off for the first time this season. In their previous meeting last season, Wisconsin came out on top, bumping its SU record to 1-0 over the Ducks. Furthermore, Wisconsin holds the advantage ATS with a record of 1-0.
Predictions: SU Winner – ORE, ATS Winner – ORE
Notes
The Wisconsin Badgers have the fourth-best offensive rating in the nation (119.6). The Oregon Ducks have a defensive rating of 159.0 (ranked 43rd).
The Oregon Ducks average 69.4 possessions per game and 1.092 points per possession. The Wisconsin Badgers earn fewer possessions with 59.9, but they score more points with 1.196.
Oregon has an average effective field goal percentage of 52.2%. Wisconsin is a superb 6-2 when opponents have a similar or higher effective field goal percentage.
Oregon ranks 57th in assists, recording 14.5 per game. Wisconsin performs worse at 195th with 12.4 assists per game.
Oregon, the 70th-ranked team in blocked shots, registers an average of 4.4 per game. Wisconsin does worse, ranked 151st with 3.6.
Wisconsin ranks 268th in offensive rebounds, while Oregon ranks 25th in defensive rebounds.
