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With Selection Sunday over, 68 teams are set to participate in the 2024 March Madness. One of the fixtures will see the South Carolina Gamecocks, who have been drawn as the No. 6 seed in the Midwest region, face the No. 11 seed, the Oregon Ducks, in the first round of the tournament. Scheduled for Thursday at the PPG Paints Arena, only one team will advance to the next round to continue their quest for the NCAA tournament title. Will it be the Gamecocks or the Ducks?
South Carolina Gamecocks
The South Carolina Gamecocks made the 2024 NCAA tournament despite failing to win the Southeastern Conference regular and postseason titles. Nevertheless, it’s a deserved inclusion for this team, who will be making their first appearance in March Madness since 2017. Appointing Lamont Paris as coach has been one of the best decisions made by the school, with his presence yielding positive results. The Gamecocks are 26-7 coming into this encounter, which is why they’ve been selected to participate in this edition of the NCAA March March Madness and will look set to take a step further. Wins over top teams like the Tennessee Volunteers, the Kentucky Wildcats, and the Florida Gators were part of their highlights this season, and they would look to take a cue from these performances against the Oregon Ducks.
Oregon Ducks
Initially, it didn’t look like the Ducks would be participating in the same tournament they did back in 2021 after finishing fourth in the Pac-12 Conference. Surprisingly, they came alive in the postseason tournament, beating the UCLA Bruins, the Arizona Wildcats, and the Colorado Buffaloes to earn a place in the 2024 NCAA tournament. Now, they seem unstoppable and could cause problems for the Gamecocks on Thursday despite being seeded as No. 11. Also, they’ve made more appearances in this tournament than their opponents. They’ll need the expertise and experience of Dana Altman once again when they face the South Carolina Gamecocks, with Altman leading them to the Final Four in 2017.
Head-to-Head South Carolina vs Oregon
The South Carolina Gamecocks and the Oregon Ducks are not new to the NCAA tournament. They both reached the Final Four in 2017. However, this encounter will be the first matchup between the two sides. Whether you are looking to back South Carolina or Oregon, you will find odds for this game on BetVictor. We’re also offering odds for all the 2024 NCAA Tournament events, both live or pre-match betting. Several betting markets will also be available to choose from, including the outright winner of the tournament.
South Carolina vs Oregon Predictions
The South Carolina Gamecocks (26-7, 13-5 SEC) have been seeded as No. 6, making them the favorite entering this game. On the other hand, the Oregon Ducks (23-11, 12-8 Pac-12) are the No. 11 seed, which explains why they are the underdog. However, their numbers showed that the Oregon Ducks average 75.3 points, 34.2 rebounds, and 13.8 assists per game compared to the Gamecocks’ 72 points, 35.9 rebounds, and 15.4 assists. As we mentioned earlier, both teams will be meeting for the first time and with the kind of performances they’ve had all season, we expect to see an end-to-end game from both teams. Nevertheless, bettors wanting to stake on this game must understand that nothing is guaranteed in betting. This is why having a budget is advisable to help you set boundaries.
Players To Look Out For
Both teams possess some of the best players in the NCAA. Meechie Johnson, B.J Mack, Collin Murray-Boyles, and Ta’Lon Cooper will lead the Gamecocks against the Ducks. Johnson and Mack record the most points per game in the team, 13.8 and 13.6, respectively. Cooper records the most assists, while Murray-Boyles has the most rebounds, steals and blocks.
On the other hand, the addition of N’Faly Dante to the Ducks will be a major boost. Despite missing some games through injury, he has the most points, 16.2, per game in the squad. However, he will need Jermaine Couisnard, who records 15.4 points per game and has the most assists and steals, to bring his A-game. Kwame Evans Jr. has the most rebounds and blocks per game for Oregon and will also need to be in top shape to help them qualify for the next round.
The Oregon Ducks might find a way through with the help of experienced coach Dana Altman. However, Lamont Paris has shown that he can come up with solutions when you least expect them, and this might be the story once again when they play on Thursday. We expect to see an exciting game from these two brilliant teams.
