Oregon vs. Rider: 2018 NIT first round preview and prediction
By Ryan Shepard
After falling in the semifinals of the Pac-12 Tournament, the Oregon Ducks will welcome in Rider for the first round of the 2018 NIT.
Network: ESPN3
Date: March 13th, 2018 at 10:00 p.m.
Location: Matthew Knight Arena (Eugene, OR)
How have the Ducks been playing lately?
The Oregon Ducks are as legit as a team in the NIT can be. Coming down the stretch, the Ducks won five of their last seven including wins over Arizona and Arizona State. However, the Ducks have had trouble scoring the ball lately. Averaging 77 points per game this season, the Ducks have failed to reach that average points in six of their last seven contests. Luckily, the Rider Broncos allow 77.6 points per game, which puts them at 297th in the nation.
How have the Broncs been playing lately?
Typical of most mid-major teams in the NIT, the Broncs had a stellar regular season but fell short in the conference tournament. The Broncs won 15 of their previous 17 outings before falling short against St. Peters in the MAAC Tournament. On the bright side, the Broncs did play better on the defensive end late in the season. Allowing nearly 78 points per game, the Broncs held teams below their season average in six of their last ten outings. Best of all, the New Jersey squad rebounded the ball extremely well late in the season, which allowed them to rise to 16th in the nation in that department.
Key Player to Watch: Frederick Scott
After a five-game stretch where Rider forward, Frederick Scott, scored ten or more points in every game, Scott has averaged just over seven points and four rebounds in his last four contests. Even worse, Scott has shot less than 40% from the free throw line during this most recent stretch. If the Broncs second-leading rebounder and key contributor on the offensive end shows up flat on Tuesday, the MAAC regular-season champs will have a tough time pulling off the upset.
This is bound to be a fun battle in the NIT. Both teams are hoping to make something happen despite not making the NCAA Tournament.
Prediction: Oregon, 74 – Rider, 67