Oregon vs. Utah State Prediction and Odds (Aggies Ready For Duck Season)
By Joe Summers
The NIT gets rolling today and we've got a bevy of intriguing matchups. One of my favorite games of the day tips off at 9:00 PM EST as the 19-14 #5 Oregon Ducks take on the 18-15 #4 Utah State Aggies.
Oregon collapsed after losing Will Richardson to injury and are just 3-9 against the spread (ATS) over their last dozen contests. Utah State, on the other hand, covered in four of five games to close the year and barely lost to Colorado State in the Mountain West Conference Tournament.
Can the Aggies stay hot or will we see the Ducks squad that took down UCLA? Perhaps the total is presenting value instead?
Here are the odds over at WynnBET to help us find out:
Oregon vs Utah State Odds, Spread and Total
Spread
- Oregon +4.5 (-110)
- Utah State -4.5 (-110)
Moneyline:
- Oregon: +152
- Utah State: -185
Total:
- 142 (Over -110/Under -110)
Oregon vs Utah State Prediction and Pick
It's wild to see an Oregon squad that once looked competitive in the Pac-12 Conference race find themselves 4.5-point underdogs in the NIT, but that's been the story of the Ducks. Inconsistency and untimely injuries plagued their season and they've stumbled, no crawled, to the finish line.
In that 1-4 ATS stretch to close the year, Oregon failed to cover the spread in those losses by an average of 11.75 points per game. They're getting smoked.
The Ducks' defense is the culprit, as they rank in the 4th percentile in defensive rating over their last five matchups and every game went over. That's not to say their offense has been good though. With a 16th-percentile ranking in effective field goal percentage over that stretch, let me tell you that the Oregon offense has in fact also been bad.
Now they'll try to right the ship against an Aggies team that is in the 100th percentile in defensive rating and 93rd in effective field goal percentage over their last five contests. Good luck Oregon.
Utah State has an offensive advantage, defensive advantage, and rebounding advantage. They're 6-3 ATS in their last nine as a favorite and should have no problem dispatching the Ducks. Give me the Aggies to roll and mercifully end Oregon's season.
Pick: Utah State -4.5 (-110)
Follow all of Joe Summers' betting picks here.
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