Oregon vs California Prediction College Basketball Picks 2/24/24

The Oregon Ducks will head down to Berkeley to meet the California Golden Bears in conference play this Saturday from the Haas Pavilion on the Pac-12 Network. Oregon leads the current series, 74-63, and they come in as 2-point road favorites, with the total hovering 149.5. Stay tuned for our Oregon vs California Prediction. 

Oregon Ducks Preview

Oregon improved to 18-8 after defeating Stanford on the road, 78-65. The Ducks controlled both halves to win consecutive games for the first time in multiple weeks, and they’ll attempt to leave NoCo with another victory here in Berkeley. Oregon is scoring 76.3 points per game, on 45.6% shooting, while allowing 75.3 ppg, and they’re currently third in the Pac-12 with a 9-5 record in conference play. The Ducks are 5-5 over their previous ten games, and they’re 6-3 on the road this season. 

Oregon Team Profile

• Dana Altman’s team moves at a balanced pace, averaging 71.1 possessions per game (165th), and they’ve been successful from the outside, knocking down 37.6% of their three-point shots (28th).
• Senior center N’Faly Dante delivered a game-high 22 points in the in-state win over OSU, and he leads Oregon in scoring (15.3) and rebounding (8.2).  
• Veteran guard Jermaine Cousinard led the way with 27 points in the Washington victory, and he’s averaging 14.8 ppg and 4.5 rpg.
• Freshman guard Jackson Shelstad chipped in 15 points versus the Beavers, and he’s third on the Ducks at 12.1 ppg.

California Golden Bears Preview

California moved to 12-15 after defeating Oregon State at home, 81-73. The Golden Bears used a second half rally to tackle the Beavers, and they’ll try to come thru as home underdogs this weekend versus the Ducks. Cal is scoring 74.8 points per game, on 42.7% shooting, while allowing 76.7 ppg, and they’re currently 10th in the Pac-12 with a 6-8 record in league play. The Golden Bears are 3-7 over their last ten games, and they’re 9-6 in Berkeley.  

Cal Team Profile

• Mark Madsen’s group moves at a respectable pace, averaging 72.7 possessions per game (91st), and they’ve connected on 34.3% of their three-point attempts (158th). 
• Former TTU guard Jaylon Tyson came thru with a clutch 28 points in the narrow road win over Washington, and he leads California in scoring (20.3), while grabbing 7.1 rpg. 
• Vancouver native Fardaws Aimaq posted a 13-point double-double in the win over UW,  and he leads the Pac-12 in rebounding (11.2), while scoring 14.7 ppg. 
• NAU transfer Jalen Cone came thru with 19 points in the Arizona State victory, and he’s third on the team at 13.3 ppg.

Oregon vs California Trends

• ORE is 14-12 against the spread, with a 15-11 O/U record
• CAL is 13-14 ATS, with a 17-10 over/under record.

Oregon vs California Prediction

Oregon picked up a strong victory over Stanford, but they’re going to have to maintain that energy here against Cal, as this contest opens closely for good reason. The Golden Bears have improved down the stretch, and after winning six of their last nine games, they should be respected as home favorites here. Oregon came thru for us last time out, and with their postseason hopes still very much alive, they shouldn’t be overlooked either. Both schools score well and trend positively with the total, so with this one being such a close call, I like rolling with the Over for this Pac-12 contest.

Corey Ghee's Pick: ORE/CAL To Go OVER