Two teams who desperately need a win will meet Saturday, when Oregon plays host to Washington in a contest of teams from the Pac-12 looking to avoid three-game losing streaks. The Ducks (9-4, 4-3 Pac-12) will be playing their second game since a COVID-19 pause, while the Huskies (3-13, 2-9) are looking to bounce back from a couple of poor defensive performances that came on the heels of a two-game winning streak.
For the sake of the Pac-12, an Oregon win would be best. The league currently has five teams projected to make the NCAA Tournament, according to CBS Sports Bracketology expert Jerry Palm. That would be a marked improvement from the 2018 and 2019 NCAA Tournaments, when the league sent just three teams. But a home loss against Washington would count as a Quad 4 loss for the Ducks, marking their first Quad 4 defeat of the season and putting their hopes for an at-large bid in jeopardy.
But the Huskies — in spite of their season-long struggles — have shown the ability to get hot from 3-point range and pull upsets, which means this game could end up a lot closer than the 14-point spread suggests.
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Viewing information
- When: Saturday, 4 p.m. ET
- Where: Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon
- TV: CBS | Live stream: CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free)
- OTT: CBS Sports App (Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast)
Storylines
Washington: Washington's stunning descent into the basement of the Pac-12 is continuing in an emphatic way this year. The Huskies (3-13, 2-9) started out 0-8 in Pac-12 before finally winning consecutive games against Colorado and Utah last month. But the Huskies have lost two straight by a combined 35 to Washington State and Oregon State since then, marking an end to their brief rally. The common thread in Washington's two league wins was prolific 3-point shooting, as the Huskies knocked down 12-of-25 3-pointers against Colorado and 12-of-24 against Utah. No one in the Pac-12 is attempting more 3-pointers per game than Washington, and that makes the Huskies a threat worth taking seriously.
Oregon: The Ducks dropped from No. 46 to No. 58 in the NET following a 74-71 home loss to Washington State on Thursday night in their first game back from a pause related to COVID-19. Oregon also lost its final game before the pause to Oregon State, complicating what once appeared to be a solid campaign for Dana Altman's squad. Now, this team that was once 8-1 and ranked No. 17 finds itself fighting for an NCAA Tournament berth. The Ducks came in at No. 11 in CBS Sports Bracketology Expert Jerry Palm's latest projection and will need a strong final month of the regular season to solidify their postseason status.
Game prediction, pick
Oregon is still finding its groove after having to pause due to COVID-19 issues, and Washington has shown flashes of offensive explosively. The Ducks are the pick to win straight up, but don't be surprised if the Huskies cover the 14-point spread. Prediction: Oregon 75, Washington 68
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| OREG -14 |  |  | | | |
| S/U | | | | | |
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