Oregon Ducks vs. San Diego State Aztecs Prediction, Odds and Tips

The Oregon Ducks face the San Diego State Aztecs on day two of the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas. Both teams emerge from the tournament with wins again, as Oregon defeated Texas A&M with a second-half comeback, while San Diego State edged Creighton to win by 18. Despite the Aztecs’ overwhelming win, it was the Ducks’ comeback performance that seemed more impressive.

While San Diego State University’s win over Creighton was a quality win, it appeared to be a favorable matchup for them. They were able to shut down a less-than-healthy Blue Jays offense that will be without fifth-year point guard Steven Ashworth. The Aztecs’ offense was also in a good position for success, as Creighton’s defensive system allowed them to operate in the midfield as often as they wanted. The generous scheme matchup could make San Diego State a slight underdog against the Ducks this afternoon.

Oregon will be a more difficult team to prepare for since coach Dana Altman loves to switch up his defense during a game, and with no rest days, Aztecs coach Brian Dutcher will have almost no time to prepare for this one prepare aspect. The Ducks are also the more balanced team and have the better offense, led by Jackson Shelstad and Nate Bittle.

This line seems a bit short and the Aztecs are getting too much credit for their big win yesterday. While Oregon has had to overcome double-digit deficits in three of its last four contests, they are shooting just 31% from 3-point range this season despite having good shooters on their roster. It’s safe to say that Oregon is expecting a positive regression in shooting. So we should trust that the better team in Vegas comes out with a win by more than one possession.

Oregon -2.5 (-110) at time of publication, playable at this number