Update: This game has been declared a no-contest due to COVID-19 issues within the VCU program. The Ducks will advance. Read more here.
The seventh-seeded Oregon Ducks will try to avoid the upset when they square off against the 10th-seeded VCU Rams in the first round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament on Saturday evening. The Ducks (20-6) were the Pac-12 regular season champions, finishing with a 14-4 conference record. VCU (19-7), meanwhile, received an at-large bid to the 2021 NCAA Tournament after losing to St. Bonaventure in the Atlantic 10 Tournament title game. These teams have only met once prior to Saturday’s showdown, with VCU securing the 77-63 victory in 2014.
Tip-off is scheduled for 9:57 p.m. ET at Indiana Farmers Coliseum. William Hill Sportsbook lists the Ducks as 5.5-point favorites, while the over-under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 138.5 in the latest Oregon vs. VCU odds. Before making any VCU vs. Oregon picks, check out the college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past four-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of over $2,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. It has also returned almost $500 on all top-rated college basketball picks this season. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Oregon vs. VCU in the NCAA Tournament 2021. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for VCU vs. Oregon:
- Oregon vs. VCU spread: Oregon -5.5
- Oregon vs. VCU over-under: 138.5 points
- Oregon vs. VCU money line: Oregon -260, VCU +210
- ORE: The Ducks are 5-1 against the spread in their last six games
- VCU: The Rams have won 15 of their last 20 games
Why Oregon can cover
Oregon features five players averaging double-digit points per game, including guard Chris Duarte. The senior enters the 2021 NCAA Tournament averaging 16.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. Duarte is converting 43.0 percent of his 3-point attempts and he’s scored 22 or more points in three of his last seven outings.
Oregon is scoring 74.4 points per game on average and the Ducks are knocking down 37.9 percent of their shots from behind the arc, which ranks 22nd in the nation. Oregon enters Saturday night’s matchup having won six of its last seven games overall and the Ducks are 4-1 in their last five meetings against an Atlantic 10 opponent. In addition, Oregon is 5-1 against the spread in its last six games when playing as the favorite.
Why VCU can cover
The Rams feature a ferocious defense, holding opponents to just 65.2 points per game this season. VCU is also averaging 5.4 blocked shots per game, which ranks fifth in the nation. Forward Hason Ward is averaging 2.3 blocks per game, and he’s also connecting on 58.3 percent of his field goals on the offensive end.
Offensively, VCU is led by sophomore guard Nah’Shon Hyland, who’s averaging 19.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. Hyland is a dynamic playmaker who can take over at any time, which proved to be the case when he recorded 30 points and 10 rebounds in VCU’s victory over Dayton earlier this month. In addition, the Rams have had tremendous success against Pac-12 opponents over the years. In fact, VCU is a perfect 6-0 against the spread in its last six contests against a team from the Pac-12.
How to make VCU vs. Oregon picks
The model is leaning over on the total, projecting the teams combine for 143 points. It also says one side of the spread hits over 50 percent of the time. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins VCU vs. Oregon? And which side of the spread hits over 50 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine right now to see which side of the VCU vs. Oregon spread you need to jump on, all from the computer model that has crushed its college basketball picks.