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Oregon Basketball: 3 bold predictions vs. VCU in first-round battle

By Connor Muldowney

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 22: LJ Figueroa #12, Eugene Omoruyi #2, Jalen Terry #3 , LJ Figueroa #12 and Chris Duarte #5 of the Oregon Ducks while playing the USC Trojans at Galen Center on February 22, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 22: LJ Figueroa #12, Eugene Omoruyi #2, Jalen Terry #3 , LJ Figueroa #12 and Chris Duarte #5 of the Oregon Ducks while playing the USC Trojans at Galen Center on February 22, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) /
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CORVALLIS, OREGON – MARCH 07: Chris Duarte #5 and Eugene Omoruyi #2 of the Oregon Ducks high five during the second half against the Oregon State Beavers at Gill Coliseum on March 07, 2021 in Corvallis, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
CORVALLIS, OREGON – MARCH 07: Chris Duarte #5 and Eugene Omoruyi #2 of the Oregon Ducks high five during the second half against the Oregon State Beavers at Gill Coliseum on March 07, 2021 in Corvallis, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images) /

1. Oregon makes a statement

Vegas believes Oregon is going to win Saturday night’s game and it has the Ducks as 5.5-point favorites which is relatively normal for a 7-10 matchup. But Oregon shouldn’t be a No. 7 seed. The Ducks are 20-6 with a Pac-12 regular season title and somehow have a lower seed than Colorado and USC. It doesn’t make a ton of sense.

Oregon has to feel slighted about being listed as a 7-seed. They played really well all season and before the loss to Oregon State, the Ducks were on fire.

But apparently the Selection Committee wasn’t impressed.

The Ducks want to prove people wrong and what better way to do that than by handling VCU in the opener, proving they probably should have been granted a higher seed.

Containing Bones Hyland for 40 minutes and getting solid play from Chris Duarte, Eugene Omoruyi and Will Richardson, the Ducks will race out to a big lead and then maintain it. There may be a few VCU runs that cause the Ducks to sweat a bit, but Oregon will control this game from start to finish and pick up yet another first-round win under Dana Altman.

The Oregon head coach will improve to 7-0 in first-round games with a double-digit win over VCU.

Next. Tip time, TV channel announced for Oregon vs. VCU. dark

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