Matthew Knight Arena – Eugene, OR
Tip-off: Thursday, 9:00pm ET
Line: Oregon -10

#11 Oregon goes for their 15th win a row as they host California in a Thursday night Pac-12 showdown.

Coach Dana Altman’s Ducks are one of the hottest teams in the nation right now, boasting a 14-game win streak (good for the fourth longest active streak behind Gonzaga, Kansas and New Mexico State). Undefeated at home (11-0, 5-4 ATS), the Ducks face a Golden Bears team that’s won four of its last five games and is 2-0 ATS on the road in conference play. Oregon is 8-5 ATS across the current winning streak, having covered in five straight games (the last three of which all saw Oregon as a double-digit favorite). Amongst Oregon’s victims have been ranked opponents such as UCLA and USC (both at home) as well as a road sweep of both Washington schools and, most recently, a home win over hapless Oregon State (85-43, Ore -25.5) on Saturday. California also swept the Washington schools, as their homestand last week included a 69-59 win over Washington on Thursday and a 58-54 defeat of Washington State on Saturday. The Golden Bears failed to cover in both wins while favored by -12.5 and -16 points, respectively. The home teams split both games last season while California covered both contests. Home success hasn’t always been the case between the Ducks and Golden Bears though, as the road team had won five of eight meetings between 2011 and 2015 and is 8-2 ATS in the last 10 games between these two teams. California had won seven straight in this series between 2011 and 2014, while Oregon has taken two of the last three matchups. Total trends point to the Under in this one as it’s 8-3 in California’s last 11 road games and 11-5 in Oregon’s last 16 home games.

Oregon truly kicked their season into another gear when star Dillon Brooks (13.6 PPG) was let loose against USC and UCLA for 51 points (18-for-30 FG) in two big wins at the end of December. The previously hobbled star from preseason surgery proved that he’s back and ready for conference play, to take and make (including the buzzer beater versus then-#2 UCLA) the Ducks’ biggest shots. Oregon hasn’t needed as much of Brooks in sound victories over Washington, Washington State and Oregon State, but just his presence allows the Ducks offense (79.5 PPG, 43rd in NCAA) to be much more dangerous than it belies on paper. Oregon has scored 83 or more points in each of their last five games and has shot 44% FG or better in 13 of their last 14 wins. The Ducks have only lost the battle of the boards twice during their winning streak (+7 Reb margin, 20th in NCAA), and that will be a point of emphasis against the Pac-12’s best total rebounding team in California and star forward Ivan Rabb. The Ducks are well equipped to handle Rabb on the interior with the nation’s best shot blocking (7.5 BPG). Oregon swatted 10 shots against their overmatched in-state rival on Saturday, led by a four-block, four-steal effort from F Jordan Bell (10.2 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 2.2 BPG, 1.5 SPG). Bell combines with new sixth man, F Chris Boucher (13.7 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 2.9 BPG), for length on the frontline that few teams in the country can match. Boucher, still Oregon’s leading scorer who’s come off the bench since a two-game absence, has 11 blocks over his last three games and also poured in 29 points in the win last week over Washington State. Not only have Brooks and Boucher had big games in the past two weeks, but G Tyler Dorsey (12.6 PPG, 39.1% 3PT) is also more than capable of heating up from long range, as evidenced by his 29 points (8-for-12 3PT) against Washington on Jan. 4. It’s worth noting that Dorsey is 0-of-9 FG in his last two games. Finally, the two-headed point guard of Dylan Ennis (11.8 PPG, 3.6 APG) and Payton Pritchard (8.3 PPG, 3.6 APG) combined for 33 points (11-for-18 FG, 7-for-9 3PT) in the win over Oregon State on Saturday.

California’s elite (61.7, 13th in NCAA) defense will get one of it’s biggest tests on Thursday night against the streaking Ducks. The Golden Bears acquitted themselves well against the Pac-12’s top offense, UCLA, on Jan. 5 as they held the Bruins to “just” 81 points on 43.6% FG in a ten-point road defeat. California has held their last two opponents under 60 points and has only allowed three opponents all season above the 70-point mark. Consistent offense is what separates a good team like California from a borderline elite team like Oregon as it’s caused the Golden Bears to have issues trying to defeat ranked teams such as Virginia, Arizona and UCLA. The aforementioned 6’11” Rabb (15.6 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 53.6% FG) is one of the country’s least ballyhooed stars and would garner some much-deserved attention as the catalyst for a potential road upset in Eugene. The owner of five double-doubles in his past six games, Rabb will have a big opportunity in a nationally televised game to show the country what he can do against two of the best shot blockers in college basketball in Bell and Boucher. The talented sophomore should look to put his teammates on his shoulders in this one, as he needs to shoot more than his season high of 14 attempts from the field. Rabb commanding a consistent double team from the Ducks would free up teammates such as Charlie Moore (14.6 PPG, 3.1 APG, 40% 3PT), Grant Mullins (9.4 PPG, 43.2% 3PT) and Jabari Bird (13.4 PPG). Bird had 24 points in a home win last season against the Ducks, but just two in Eugene. Mullins showed what he was capable of when he busted out for 19 points at UCLA (7-for-13 FG, 5-for-8 3PT) but is only 7-of-23 from the field over his last three games (22 points total). Moore needs to be aggressive, but not out of control, if the Golden Bears are to stay with the Ducks on the road. The freshman guard is at his best when he’s not forcing his shot, as he was in a 5-of-17 effort in the loss at UCLA or a 3-for-12 performance against Arizona.