Posted on 3/13/2008 6:50:45 PM

NCAAB Lines - Oregon Ducks vs. Washington State Cougars

By D.S. Williamson

Oregon Ducks (+ 3.5) vs. Washington State Cougars (- 3.5)

Tip-off: 9:00 pm EST.

To ensure themselves a spot in the NCAA Tournament, the Oregon Ducks have to beat the Washington State Cougars tonight in the Pac-10 Tournament. There are no “ifs, ands, or buts” about it. They have to win. Against the BetUS spread, the Ducks have actually been okay in their last 10 games going 5-3-2. They lost by 9 points to the Cougars the last time these two teams met, but this situation feels different. The pressure on the Ducks is enormous.

Washington State was hot early in the season. They’ve cooled off some. Against the BetUS spread, the Cougars have gone 5 and 5 in their last 10 games. Overall, the Cougars are 15 and 14 against the BetUS spread this year. Here are more trends:

The Oregon Ducks are 9-3-1 against the spread in their last 13 games at a neutral site.

The Oregon Ducks are 5-2-1 against the spread in their last 8 overall games.

The Washington State Cougars are 2 and 6 against the spread in their last 8 games following an against the spread loss.

The Oregon Ducks are 6 and 1 against the spread in the last 7 meetings between these two teams.

Usually, I would be the first gambler to admit that motivation is overrated. Most teams are motivated to win. Some teams just don’t have the talent. Well, the Ducks definitely have the talent. And, trust me, the motivation is there. The Ducks know that they are just as good as almost every team in the Pac-10 save for UCLA. It’s not reflected in their record, but they know that they are.

The Ducks just haven’t had a very good season, but I really think that they are a great bet to not only beat the Washington State Cougars straight-up tonight, but also to take the Pac-10 tournament.

My reasoning is pretty simple. The Ducks can score with anybody, have a good defense, and are starting to surge while most of the other teams in the Pac-10, Washington State included, are starting to look tired.

Don’t get me wrong, Washington State is a good team and could very well dominate the Ducks in this game, but the BetUS line sure doesn’t reflect that. The BetUS line reflects a close, drag-out game. If that happens, I like the Ducks.

The BetUS NBA betting line is Oregon Ducks + 3.5 against the spread versus the Washington State Cougars at a neutral site.

I think the Ducks can win this game outright tonight.

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