College Basketball Odds, Pick for Georgia vs Oregon

Editor's Note: Oregon's Jackson Shelstad (knee) is out today, and Georgia's RJ Sunahara (knee) is also out.

College basketball’s opening night lacks some major headliner matchups, but that creates an opportunity for Georgia vs Oregon odds, prediction. One of only two matchups between power conference foes, the Bulldogs and Ducks will take center stage in Las Vegas.

Both teams are hoping to get back in the NCAA tournament picture.

Oregon is in a rare mini-drought under Dana Altman. He's only missed four Big Dances in 13 years, but two of those misses were the past two seasons. Injuries have been a major part of those underperformances, though, so Oregon could quickly bounce back.

Georgia, meanwhile, hasn't gone dancing since 2015. The Tom Crean experiment failed miserably, and the UGA administration turned to Mike White to resurrect the program. Jumping ship from league rival Florida, White has a tall order turning a football school into a dual threat.

Like many SEC squads, Georgia dove deep into the transfer portal to replenish its roster after a disappointing 16-16 (6-12 in league play) campaign.

In his second year, White scooped up five likely contributors to pair with four returning rotation pieces, and the newcomers fuel much of the optimism around the Dawgs this year.

Former Niagara guard Noah Thomasson should split lead ball-handling duties with incumbent Justin Hill. Thomasson is a lethal scorer as a big-bodied power guard with a smooth shooting stroke; he could be a revelation with more talent around him.

White also nabbed starters from Illinois (RJ Melendez), VCU (Jalen DeLoach) and South Florida (Russel Tchewa).

The final transfer might be the most intriguing, though. RJ Sunahara was the Division II National Player of the Year, stuffing the stat sheet for undefeated national champion Nova Southeastern. Sunahara could blossom into an NBA prospect on a bigger stage.

The Bulldogs’ freshman class offers some intrigue as well. White and his staff brought in four recruits, all of whom were in or just on the cusp of the top 100. Blue Cain and Silas Demary Jr. look like the most ready to shine out of the gates, but this group will be fighting for minutes against the bevy of veterans.

Notably, Georgia has posted a couple of impressive results in the preseason. The Bulldogs beat NC State 80-72 in a secret scrimmage and they blitzed ASUN favorite Eastern Kentucky in a more formal exhibition, winning by 17 in a contest that was never close.

The Ducks’ outlook starts with Altman. A tremendous coach with a track record of success spanning four different schools, his various defensive looks and player development have been pivotal in helping the Ducks maintain a standard of excellence.

This Oregon roster does not lack for talent. Monstrous big man N’Faly Dante will own the paint on both ends, and the freshman class is loaded. Three top-40 recruits arrive in Eugene, though one of that trio – electrifying forward Mookie Cook – will be out until December with an injury.

Oregon’s biggest concern might be a dearth of shooting offensively. Jermaine Couisnard and Kario Oquendo (a Georgia transfer in a potential revenge game) are both aggressive downhill slashers, but opponents are comfortable with letting them fire away from deep.

Keeshawn Barthelemy is a solid shooter, but he’s a low-volume threat. Jackson Shelstad could prove vital, and Nate Bittle’s upside as a stretch big man looms large.

Contrary to Georgia’s strong preseason performances, Oregon dropped a charity exhibition to Nevada, 72-63.

The Ducks are also banged up leading into the opener.

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Both Georgia and Oregon enter the year with question marks. Both teams must mesh transfers and talented freshmen with a few key returnees. The fit of each roster is still to be determined.

Ultimately, though, Georgia appears to be in much better standing entering the season. Both of its preseason outings offered promise, while Oregon’s injury woes have already begun in 2023-24.

Altman has simply had less time to get his team to gel, and the Ducks could remain shorthanded on Monday.

Pick: Georgia +4.5 (Play to +4)