Teams looking to make deep postseason runs clash when the Oregon Ducks meet the South Carolina Gamecocks on Thursday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in a Midwest Region matchup. The Ducks (23-11), who are making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2021, were the fourth seed in the Pac-12 Tournament, but swept their way to the conference tournament championship. The Gamecocks (26-7), who are making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2017, had a 15-win turnaround over last season. South Carolina is making its 10th NCAA Tournament appearance, while Oregon is making its 18th appearance.
Tipoff from PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh is set for 4 p.m. ET. This will be the first-ever meeting between the schools. The Ducks are 1.5-point favorites in the latest Oregon vs. South Carolina odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 134. Before making any South Carolina vs. Oregon picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model.
The model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters the 2024 NCAA tournament on a 148-106 roll on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to last season, returning more than $1,700 for $100 players. It also has a strong 29-19 (+810) record on top-rated spread picks this season. Anyone following has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Oregon vs. South Carolina. You can head to SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for South Carolina vs. Oregon:
Oregon vs. South Carolina spread: Oregon -1.5
Oregon vs. South Carolina over/under: 134 points
Oregon vs. South Carolina money line: Oregon -121, South Carolina +101
ORE: The Ducks have won 25 of their last 35 games (+17.80 units on ML)
SC: The Gamecocks have won 23 of their last 31 games (+21.65 units on ML)
Oregon vs. South Carolina picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why South Carolina can cover
Freshman forward Collin Murray-Boyles has made a big first impression for the Gamecocks. In 27 games, including 18 starts, he is averaging 10.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.1 steals and one block in 22.8 minutes. He has registered two double-doubles on the season, including an 11-point and 11-rebound effort in a 66-59 loss to Tennessee on March 6. He had 15 points and 11 boards in an 82-76 win over Florida on March 2.
Senior guard Ta’Lon Cooper has been effective for South Carolina. He is among the team’s scoring leaders and is averaging 9.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 33.7 minutes. He has played in 33 games, all starts. He has reached double-figure scoring in four of the past six games, scoring 11 points each time. Cooper scored a season-high 20 points and added five rebounds and five assists in a 79-62 win over Kentucky on Jan. 23. See which team to pick at SportsLine.
Why Oregon can cover
Senior center N’Faly Dante appears to be peaking at the right time for the Ducks. In the Pac-12 Tournament championship game, he nearly registered a double-double as he recorded 25 points and nine rebounds in 32 minutes of action in a 75-68 win over Colorado. He had 14 points and 10 rebounds in a 67-59 upset win over top-seeded Arizona in the semifinals. He opened the Pac-12 Tournament with a 22-point, six-rebound and four-assist performance in a 68-65 quarterfinal victory over UCLA. In 20 games, including 19 starts, he is averaging 16.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, 1.7 steals and 1.5 assists in 30.4 minutes.
Also powering the Ducks is senior Jermaine Couisnard. The fifth-year player, who played his first three years at South Carolina, has started all 34 games this season for Oregon. In 32.3 minutes of action, he is averaging 15.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.6 steals. Couisnard played a big role in the Ducks’ win over Colorado in the Pac-12 title game, scoring 14 points, dishing out eight assists and grabbing three boards. See which team to pick at SportsLine.
How to make Oregon vs. South Carolina picks
The model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 143 combined points. It also says one side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.