- Analysis
- Lay the points with the ninth-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide, as their explosive offensive nature will be too much for the Oregon Ducks.
I know the Ducks have been perfect so far this season, but they’ll meet their match when they face the Tide tonight in the championship game of the Players Era Tournament in Las Vegas.
At 6-1, then-No. 2 Alabama’s lone blemish came two weeks ago when it fell at then-No. 13 Purdue. Since then it's rattled off three straight victories over ranked opponents Illinois and Houston, and once-ranked Rutgers, covering the spread in two of the three.
The Crimson Tide’s advantage comes on offense where they’re putting up a 12th-most 89.7 points per game. Another plus, however, is experience, as four of their top six scorers are seniors, led by preseason All-American and SEC Preseason Player of the Year honoree, Mark Sears, who leads the Tide in scoring at 16.7 ppg. He's a do-it-all player with ice in his veins.
Meanwhile, Oregon has yet to lose in its seven games this season, but has also yet to crack the AP Top 25 poll. The reason being likely stems from its relatively weak schedule to start the year. Its only faced one ranked opponent so far, defeating 20th-ranked Texas A&M 80-70 on Thursday.
The remainder of the Ducks’ schedule leaves a little to be desired, though, with wins over Riverside, Montana, Portland, and Troy, to name a few. You have to be cautious siding with a team that’s sitting just outside the Top 25 and only covered twice in those contests as a double-digit home favorite.
This will certainly be Oregon’s biggest test of the season, and it's difficult to say whether it’s ready for the moment. A win could possibly land the Ducks in the rankings, but that’s not going to happen. Alabama is seasoned and will cover as it cruises to the tourney title.
