#12 Liberty vs #5 Oregon NCAAB Pick: Who Has The Edge In This First-Round Matchup? (Mar 21)

• The Ducks finished the regular season with a 24-9 record and went 12-8 in the Big 10.
• Liberty concluded its season with a 27-6 mark, including a 13-5 record in conference play.
• These teams have never met head-to-head.

One of the games on Friday’s NCAA slate features the Oregon Ducks taking on the Liberty Flames. Will the No. 12 seed pull off the upset in our Ducks vs Flames pick?

Can Oregon Regroup From A Double-Digit Loss Against Michigan State?

After a five-game skid, the Ducks reeled off eight straight wins before losing 74-64 to Michigan State in the Big 10 quarterfinals.

Nate Bittle played well at both ends of the floor. He led the way with 22 points on 9-for-15 shooting from the field. Bittle also tallied 11 rebounds and two blocked shots.

TJ Bamba was the only other starter that registered a double-digit scoring total. He finished with 11 points, six rebounds, and five assists for an Oregon squad that shot just 21.1 percent from 3-point range.

Michigan State scored the final seven points of the first half, taking a 42-32 lead into the break. Then, the Spartans used a 15-0 run in the second half to seize control of the contest after Oregon trimmed the deficit to one point at the 15:33 mark.

Will The Flames Extend Their Win Streak To Six Games?

Meanwhile, after suffering an 85-80 setback against Kennesaw State on Mar. 2, the Flames finished the season on a five-game winning streak. Their latest triumph was a 79-67 victory against Jackson State on Mar. 15.

Kaden Metheny spearheaded an offense in which five players, including three of the team’s starters, reached double figures.

He finished with 21 points, three assists, and shot a respectable 5-for-10 from beyond the arc. Taelon Peter scored 20 points off the bench on 7-for-7 shooting from the floor, including 3-for-3 from long range.

The Flames led 37-33 at halftime and 47-41 with 16:52 left to play. But they broke the game open with a crucial 18-4 run that gave them a 65-45 advantage with 7:24 left in regulation.

With the victory, Liberty clinched its sixth NCAA Tournament berth in program history and its first since winning the ASUN Conference Tournament in 2021.

Ducks vs Flames Pick: Who Has The Edge In This #12 vs #5 Matchup?

Both teams are playing well right now, posting eight wins in their last nine contests. Oregon doesn’t overwhelm its opponents with offensive firepower. However, this team is balanced, with four players averaging double figures.

On the other side, Liberty shoots the long ball at a 38.5 percent clip, a top-15 mark in the country, while holding the opposition to 62.8 points per contest.

Given their five-game win streak, the Flames are the hotter team, but Oregon has won its last eight first-round tournament games. With that in mind, look for the Ducks to come out on top in this matchup.