The Pick: My 150 Dime winner is the Oregon Ducks
The Line: The current line is a -1 in Vegas and offshore as of 9:30 am EST. Be sure to shop around for the best line available.
My Analysis
He owns this round.
Dana Altman sat back and watched his Oregon Ducks win 3 in a row to win the PAC-12 tournament and punch his Big Dance ticket for the 8th time at Oregon.
In his previous 7, he has never lost in the 1st round.
It would be an understatement to say, his Ducks are playing their best ball of the year right now.
They closed the season losing 3 of their last 5 including at Arizona 103-83 and at home to Colorado 79-75.
On to the tournament, where in round one got by UCLA 68-66 and then the revenge shocker.
As a 12 point dog, they shocked the world and beat Arizona outright 67-59. I don't know what was more impressive, the 8-point win or holding the Wildcats to 59 points.
With revenge #1 out of the way, off to the Championship game and revenge #2, as they disposed of Colorado 75-68, thus punching Altman's 8th NCAA tourney appearance.
Watching Oregon make their run through the PAC-12 tourney, I kept saying to myself, this team reminds me a lot of Auburn and Alabama.
They have guards who are quick and can make the 3, they have multiple athletic big men who can score and control the paint and a steady point guard.
The reason that is important in this matchup is because as I am about to point out, South Carolina struggles with these exact teams.
Just see their 2 meetings with Auburn and their loan game against Alabama.
January 9th at Alabama, they got destroyed 74-47.
In a Valentine's day massacre at Auburn, the Gamecocks were humiliated 101-61, a 40-point absolute destruction.
In the SEC tournament quarterfinal, the Gamecocks got hammered again 86-55.
I'm sorry folks, this is a bad matchup for the Gamecocks. It just is.
All 5 starters average double figures for the Ducks led by Jermain Couisnard and N'Faly Dante getting 15 a game.
South Carolina just 3 with Meechie Johnson at 14 a game, BJ Mack 13 a game and Colin Murray-'Boyles with 10 a game.
As I said at the top, Dana Altman has never lost in the first round of this Tournament, a perfect 7-0.
Here is one more number for you: In the 21 games he has coached in this tournament, he is 16-5 ATS.
Let's make that 17-5 as the Ducks stay hot and advance to the round of 32.
Oregon by 8.
