Oregon vs. Fresno State Prediction, Game Preview

The No. 21 Oregon Ducks will be back home in Eugene, Ore. to take on the Fresno State Bulldogs in Matthew Knight Arena. Below is the Oregon vs. Fresno State prediction and game preview.

Oregon vs. Fresno State Game Preview

Game Broadcast

Date: Monday, Nov. 30
Game Time: 8 p.m. ET
Venue: Matthew Knight Arena, Eugene, Ore.
Network: PAC12

Why You Need To Care

The Oregon Ducks are atop the Pac-12 right now with a 5-0 record, and they really haven’t been in that much danger of dropping a game so far.

Oregon has been winning by an average of 16.4 points per game while scoring 79 points per game. The opposition has had a tough time against the Ducks, shooting just 38 percent from the field and averaging 62.6 points per game.

Fresno State is technically the underdog, but it’s hard to legitimately call the Bulldogs that because they are also 5-0 and playing inspiring basketball.

Fresno State’s one game away from home resulted in an 82-65 win over Rice. Coach Rodney Terry’s team is coming off an 80-59 win against Delaware State, but Fresno State will have its hands full with Oregon.

It’s a west-coast matchup of undefeated teams, and it’s surely going to be fun to watch.

Why Oregon Will Win

The Ducks went 17-2 at home last season, and they’ve now won 12 home games in a row. Oregon needs to shoot better than 29.1 percent though. That just won’t get it done. Fresno State doesn’t turn the ball over often with just 59 total turnovers so far. The Ducks have to take some chances on defense and have pesky, active hands.

Why Fresno State Will Win

The Bulldogs have to protect the ball — obviously. Oregon’s forced 84 turnovers this season, and winning that battle will align Fresno State to steal one in Eugene. On top of that, it has to keep the Ducks out of the paint. Terry has to preach the importance of clogging the lane and collapsing toward the basket. That will go a long way in taking down the Ducks on their home floor.

Players Who Matter

Freshman guard Tyler Dorsey is going to have his hands full with this one. Dorsey leads the team with 15.2 points per game on 57.9 percent shooting. He’s shooting 52.2 percent from three, but 62.5 percent from the free throw line could hurt. Chris Boucher, who leads the Ducks with 7.6 rebounds per game, has to come up big down low.

Marvelle Harris is definitely one guy to keep an eye on if you’re a Fresno State fan. Harris leads the team with 20.2 points per game, but he’s also getting it done as an overall playmaker, averaging 6 assists per game. If Harris takes most of the scoring load, the Bulldogs will need Torren Jones to simply fill in the gaps. Jones notches 11.8 points and 10 rebounds per game. The two of them will definitely need to play at a high level.

What’s Going To Happen?

This one smells like an upset. It’s certainly difficult to win in Eugene, but Fresno State has been playing just as well as Oregon in the early season. The Bulldogs are a better rebounding team, and they shoot better from the outside. Oregon is the favorite, but it needs to get its act together from the perimeter. Fresno State will stay undefeated after this one.