North Carolina vs. Oregon 2017: Prediction, Betting Odds, Key Players For Final Four Game

Many college basketball fans and experts had No.1 North Carolina reaching the Final Four in their NCAA bracket predictions, but No.3 Oregon wasn’t exactly expected to win the Midwest region. That’s why it’s no surprise the betting odds favor the Tar Heels in Saturday’s matchup, even though the Ducks have looked like a national championship caliber team in March Madness 2017.

North Carolina has defeated the highest seed possible in every round of the NCAA Tournament, picking up impressive wins over No.4 Butler and No.2 Kentucky last weekend. By defeating a hot No.7 Michigan team and blowing out No.1 Kansas, Oregon looks to be a legitimate threat to the Tar Heels’ title hopes.

The Ducks became a longshot to win the championship in the eyes of many when big man Chris Boucher tore his ACL in the Pac-12 Championship Game. His absence hasn’t been an issue during March Madness as other players have raised their game.

Averaging 14.5 points per game during the season, Tyler Dorsey has performed like an All-American. His 24.5 points per game are the best among anyone in Saturday’s game, and the sophomore guard has scored with incredible efficiency. He’s attempted less than 13 field goals per contest, making 65.4 percent of his three-pointers.

Jordan Bell is the team’s leading rebounder, and he’s made up for Boucher’s absence on the boards. The junior has grabbed at least 12 rebounds in all four tournament games, posting three triple-doubles.

Bell’s effort on the glass will be extremely important against the Tar Heels, who grabbed 13 offensive rebounds in their win against Kentucky. North Carolina is led by Kennedy Meeks in that department, and the senior is averaging 13 rebounds over his last three games.

Dillon Brooks has arguably been Oregon’s third-best player in the tournament, but he could easily take over Saturday’s contest. Leading the team with 16.1 points per game, the junior was this season’s Pac-12 Player of the Year.

Oregon will be hard-pressed to defeat North Carolina without major contributions from all three players. North Carolina stands out as the most talented and the deepest team in the Final Four, starting five players that all have at least three years of experience.

While Oregon has the Pac-12 Player of the Year, North Carolina’s Justin Jackson was named the ACC Player of the Year. He’s been every bit as good in the tournament with 19.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

Aside from Jackson, the Tar Heels have several weapons that the Ducks have to worry about. Joel Berry II led North Carolina with 26 points over Butler, and Meeks was the team’s high-scorer when they beat Arkansas in the second round. Luke Maye, who wasn’t even among North Carolina’s top bench contributors during the regular season, is scoring 12.5 points per game in the tournament and hit the game-winning shot against Kentucky.

If North Carolina is able to get into transition, they could run Oregon out of University of Phoenix Stadium. The Tar Heels play at one of the fastest paces in college basketball, while the Ducks are the complete opposite. That might not be an issue for Oregon, however, considering how much they were able to slow down Kansas in the Elite Eight.

North Carolina might prove to be too much for Oregon, though the game should be close until the end. The Tar Heels are five-point favorites, and the game’s total is 151.5, via OddsShark.

Prediction: North Carolina over Oregon, 71-68