USC vs Oregon Basketball Prediction & Picks: Will the Shorthanded Ducks Survive in Eugene?

After a number of quiet days during the festive period, college basketball action is ramping back up today. There aren’t any huge matchups on the schedule for tonight, but the one that stands out above the rest of the bunch sees USC visit Oregon (9:00 pm ET, ESPN2) in the Pac-12 opener for both teams.

The Trojans (6-5) opened the season with an impressive win over Kansas State, but that would prove to be the highlight of their non-conference slate. In addition to losing out on quality win opportunities against Oklahoma, Gonzaga, and Auburn, USC was upset at home to UC Irvine and Long Beach State.

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So, entering Pac-12 play, their March Madness hopes are not in a positive position. Even if the conference happens to be stronger than has been the case in many years recently, USC will need to do very well in order to end up on the right side of the bubble.

The same can be said for Oregon, whose best non-conference win came against a Michigan team that is also firmly on the wrong side of the bubble. And like the Trojans, the Ducks have a loss that sticks out like a sore thumb, a neutral-site loss to Santa Clara, who is 3-5 since defeating the Ducks.

USC vs Oregon Odds

Odds are courtesy of BetOnline. If you’re interested in trying them out, we recommend checking out our BetOnline review.

Spread

• USC +2.5 (-104)
• Oregon -2.5 (-116)

Over/Under

• Over 151 (-110)
• Under 151 (-110)

Moneyline

• USC +130
• Oregon -150

Last Five Games for USC

• at Alabama State (12/19): won 79-59
• at Auburn (12/17): lost 91-75
• vs Long Beach State (12/10): lost 84-79 (OT)
• (Las Vegas, NV – Legends of Basketball Las Vegas Invitational) vs Gonzaga (12/2): lost 89-76
• vs Eastern Washington (11/29): won 106-78

Last Five Games for Oregon

• vs Kent State (12/21): won 84-70
• (Sioux Falls, SD) vs Syracuse (12/17): lost 83-63
• vs California Baptist (12/12): won 76-55
• vs UTEP (12/9): won 71-49
• vs Michigan (12/2): won 86-83 (OT)

Players to Watch for USC

• Boogie Ellis: 19.5 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 3.1 APG, 44.2% 3PT
• Isaiah Collier: 16.1 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 4.1 APG
• Kobe Johnson: 11.4 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 2.9 APG, 2.2 SPG

Players to Watch for Oregon

• Jermaine Couisnard: 13.1 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.9 SPG
• Jackson Shelstad: 13.0 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 3.0 APG
• Kario Oquendo: 11.2 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 55.4% FG

USC vs Oregon Prediction and Picks

Prediction: USC to win

A big question mark for USC is the health of Ellis, who played only 12 minutes at Alabama State and didn’t return after suffering a hip injury in the latter portion of the first half.

Ellis has had a nice period to rest and recuperate, and there are no reports that he is in danger to miss the game. If he isn’t affected by the injury, the Ducks will have their hands full.

Ellis, who has hit the 20-point mark six times this season, ranks 32nd in the country in scoring, 13th in made three-pointers per game (3.4), and 23rd in three-point percentage.

Speaking of injuries, that is an area where Oregon has had absolutely rotten luck.

Veteran guard Keeshawn Barthelemy should be back tonight after missing the last two games, but the Ducks have already lost Nate Bittle and Jesse Zarzuela to season-ending injuries, big man N’Faly Dante hasn’t played since the opener, and highly touted freshman Mookie Cook has yet to make his collegiate debut.

That has opened the door for others to step up, like Shelstad, who will be counted on to continue his good run of scoring tonight against USC. The freshman guard has scored in double figures in six straight games, including 17, 16, and 15 in his last three games.

Barthelemy’s return gives the Ducks another scoring option to challenge the Trojans, who were up to the task defensively against Alabama State but have had some struggles against better competition.

That said, I like USC to get the road win tonight. Both of these teams can be hit or miss with being the picture of efficiency on offense, but I like the team with the two best scorers on the floor to get it done in Eugene.

Picks: USC +2.5 & USC/Oregon First Half Over 70.5 (Both Lines at BetOnline – Bet These Plays & Get a 100% Bonus on Your First Cryptocurrency Deposit)

Bonus Prop Pick: Jackson Shelstad Over 14.5 Points (-115 at BetOnline)

Shelstad, one of the top recruits in the 2023 class, didn’t play in the first four games of the season due to a knee injury suffered in October.

But he has become one of the Ducks’ go-to offensive options with all of the personnel hits they have taken, and he has 10+ shot attempts in five of the seven games he has played in, including 14, 16, and 11 in his last three. If he keeps that up, another 15+ point game should be in the cards, especially if he can get some threes (25% in his last four games) to start falling again.

Where to Bet on College Basketball

If you are looking for college basketball odds, you will always be spoiled for choice.

Sports betting sites all over the internet offer a vast array of NCAA basketball odds throughout the season, from the opening tip in November to the conclusion of the season in early April.

Along with being able to bet on games like Nevada vs Hawaii, many online sportsbooks offer men’s college basketball national championship odds, women’s college basketball national championship odds, men’s Wooden Award odds, women’s Wooden Award odds, and odds on who will win early season and conference tournaments.

Below are some of the books that we highly recommend for college basketball betting:

• BetDSI
• BetOnline
• BetUS
• Bookmaker
• Bovada
• MyBookie
• Sportsbetting.ag

If you don’t have an account at a book on this list, check out our reviews to help you determine if it is worth your interest and your betting funds.

Other College Basketball Content

• College Basketball Betting Guide
• Men’s Wooden Award Winner Odds
• Women’s Wooden Award Winner Odds