Ducks vs. Badgers Pick – NCAA Tournament
The No. 7 Oregon Ducks and No. 2 Wisconsin Badgers have survived Round 2 of the 2014 NCAA Tournament, and now they’ll face off in the third round of the West Region on Saturday, March 22. Both Oregon and Wisconsin breezed past their competition in their first matchups. [ad-4468020]
2014 NCAA Tournament Free Picks
West Region – Third Round
No. 7 Oregon (24-9, 10-8 Pac-12) vs. Wisconsin (27-7, 12-6, Big Ten)
Saturday, March 22
Spread: Wisconsin -5
Over/Under: 142
Moneyline: Wisconsin -225 / Oregon +189
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Now the competition officially begins, as we’ve got a classic battle of offense versus defense on the horizon.
Oregon
The Oregon Ducks are one of the most dangerous offensive units in the entire NCAA Tournament, and they showed that with their 87-68 win over the No. 10 BYU Cougars on Thursday.
Now, the team has a defensive juggernaut on their hands in the No. 2 Wisconsin Badgers. Wisconsin allows just 63.7 points per game on the year—the 38th-best mark in the nation—compared to 77.3 that BYU allows—the 328th-best mark.
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The key to this one comes down to whether or not Oregon hits shots, but the good news for Ducks fans is that they showed against the Cougars that their three-point shooting isn’t the only significant aspect to victory.
Against BYU, Oregon shot just 15.4 percent from long range. It made just two three pointers on the entire night, but it made up the difference by shooting 50 percent from the field.
It also blocked four shots, held the Cougars to 32.8 percent shooting and made 81.6 percent of its free throws.
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Oregon has a serious chance to upset the Badgers, but as already mentioned, making shots could be the difference maker.
Wisconsin
As easy a time as the Ducks had with BYU, the Badgers had it even easier in Round 2.
Wisconsin took down the No. 2 American Eagles 75-35, with the most impressive stretch coming in the second half where the Badgers outscored the Eagles 43-13.
It’s safe to say that the Badgers won’t hold Oregon to 35 points (let alone 13 in one half), meaning their defensive efforts will be of the utmost importance.
The key to this one is forcing turnovers. Against American University, the Badgers forced 17 turnovers, while the BYU Cougars forced just eight against Oregon.
If Wisconsin can force Oregon to give the ball away—not to mention avoid giving away second-chance opportunities—the Badgers will be in good shape.
Unfortunately for Wisconsin, the Ducks have a ton of momentum, and more importantly a win over a solid opponent, while the Badgers had a walk-away win from early on in their Round 2 matchup.
Wisconsin is a popular choice to play late in the tournament, but if you’re looking for a bold call, look Oregon’s way.
Prediction: Oregon 78 – Wisconsin 70
