by Ryan Oppenheimer

Since the Oregon Ducks (15-10, 9-5 Pac-12) got back to full health, they have looked like a different team. A triumphant upset over Arizona at the beginning of January opened the door for a potential tournament bid, and they have kept hope alive ever since. They have played their way into the bubble watch, but to stay there, they must take care of business against a tough UCLA team (20-4, 11-2 Pac-12).

Oregon is coming off an impressive 78-60 home win Thursday vs USC, in which they shot over 50% from the field — a feat that they are undefeated when achieving. The duo of guard Will Richardson and center N'Faly Dante has been the main engine for the Ducks, as Richardson ranks second in conference with 5.5 assists per game and Dante ranks fourth in FG% with 62.9%. The return of transfer guard Jermaine Couisnard has also been crucial, as his 12.4 points per game have added some balance to the offense.

UCLA has lost much of its 2021 Final Four roster, but point guard Tyger Campbell and forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. remain. The duo has combined to average 28.8 points per game this season. The Bruins as a team grab more offensive rebounds than anyone in the conference. Guard Jaylen Clark makes life hard for anyone he is guarding and is a national DPOY candidate, swiping a conference-high 2.65 steals per game while also supplying 13.2 points and 6.6 rebounds.

Oregon has built up momentum as of late, but if they come out flat tonight, all of it could be dashed away. The Bruins do not shy away from hostile environments and they are difficult to beat from behind. But if Oregon keeps mistakes to a minimum, they can firmly establish themselves in the race for a March Madness at-large bid.

Prediction: Oregon wiins 67-63