VCU vs. Oregon Betting Odds, Spread: Early Analysis for 2021 NCAA Tournament (March 19)

VCU vs. Oregon Odds

How Oregon & VCU Match Up

Oregon-VCU Instant Analysis

The Oregon Ducks have an interesting matchup against the surprise from the Atlantic 10 in the VCU Rams.

The Rams replaced their whole starting lineup this year but didn’t miss a beat through their “Chaos” defense. I like Oregon in this one, as it has taken care of the basketball all season long.

VCU relies on forcing turnovers and has struggled with coughing the ball up itself. Oregon ranks first in the Pac-12 in forcing turnovers, and that should be a key statistic to watch in this one.

The Ducks have the length and size to be able to slow down VCU star Nah'shon Hyland. All five starters on the Ducks are 6-foot-5 or taller, and they have won 11 of their last 13 games.

VCU struggled to slow down the St. Bonaventure offense in the A-10 Championship. It will have its work cut out for it in this game with Eugene Omoruyi and Chris Duarte, who both average 16.7 points per game.

Turnovers will ultimately doom the Rams, and I see the Ducks advancing in this one — although the committee did them no favors, potentially looking at Iowa, Kansas, and Gonzaga after they move past VCU. — Kyle Remillard

What To Know About Oregon

Prior to their loss to rival Oregon State in the Pac-12 tournament, the Ducks were playing outstanding basketball. Some of their season-long metrics are a bit depressed as a result of injuries, but the on-court product once they got all of their pieces back looked very promising.

That's especially true on the offensive end, where Oregon ranks in the 88th percentile nationally in terms of points per possession, per Synergy. The Ducks start five upper-classmen who are all efficient on that end of the floor.

That said, the defense is nowhere close to the level of the offense, especially in the interior, where they really miss the length of N'Faly Dante, who is out for the year. The Ducks are very vulnerable against elite post players.

But this is still a Dana Altman-led team. That means they will be tough to prepare for in a tournament setting. Altman will press a bunch and switch between man and zone looks in the half court.

Given the right draw, Oregon has the offensive firepower to make a run even with some of its defensive deficiencies. — Stuckey

What To Know About VCU

VCU lost its entire starting lineup coming into this season, and many had this one pegged as a rebuilding season. That proved not to be the case.

Virginia Commonwealth plays with a run-and-gun style. It maintains one of the fastest tempos in the conference and holds the shortest average possession length. It runs a full-court press and wants to get into a track meet every game, forcing opponents to play at its pace. The Rams' defense is the backbone of this playing style, and they have the havoc press to thank for it.

VCU is led by four-star recruit Nah’Shon Hyland. The 6-foot-3 guard, who will play at the next level, is a dangerous shooter from outside and earned A-10 Player of the Year.

Due to its elite defense, VCU will be a tricky out, especially for teams vulnerable to pressure and reliant on the perimeter. If the freshman around Bones on the perimeter can step up offensively in the tournament, VCU can make another surprise run — Kyle Remillard