Desperation Matchup in Eugene: Colorado Looks to Bolster Tournament Hopes Against Oregon
March Madness is on the line as Colorado travels to Eugene, Oregon on Thursday, March 7th for a critical Pac-12 clash. Both teams are clinging to fading hopes of reaching the NCAA Tournament, making this a high-stakes matchup.
Colorado is listed in ESPN’s Joe Lunardi’s “Next Four Out” and boasts a 60% chance of making the dance according to Bart Torvik’s TourneyCast. However, their road woes (2-7) raise concerns. Conversely, Oregon (12-2 at home) will be looking to capitalize on their home-court advantage.
This game is a rematch of Colorado’s 86-70 home victory in January. The Buffaloes, currently in third place in the Pac-12 standings (11-7), are riding a four-game winning streak, fueled by victories over conference foes USC and Utah.
Despite Colorado’s recent success, analysts predict a tight contest. Our model forecasts a narrow Colorado win by a score of 83-76. KenPom also highlights this game as the most thrilling matchup of the night (highest “thrill score”).
Oregon (11-7 Pac-12, 19-10 overall) has a conference record identical to Colorado’s and cannot afford a misstep. Jermaine Couisnard’s recent record-breaking performance (career-high 39 points) offers hope for the Ducks.
Tip-off is at 9:00 PM EST on ESPN.