One of the NCAA’s biggest stars will be in uniform Tuesday night as the Memphis Tigers take on the Oregon Ducks in the Phil Knight Invitational at the MODA Center in Portland. James Wiseman will be in the lineup for Memphis as the team continues to play him despite the NCAA ruling him “likely ineligible” following a booster controversy involving ex-NBAer Penny Hardaway.
- Memphis Tigers vs Oregon Ducks (Matchup Report)
- Date/Time: November 12, 9 p.m. ET
- TV Coverage: ESPN
- Sportsbook Odds: Oregon -1 | O/U 149 (Line History)
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
Oregon opened as a 1-point favorite; the Tigers are 4-1 ATS in their previous five games as an underdog. The total opened at 149 points.
Memphis News & Notes
The Tigers are in tough against one of the top teams in the Pac-12, but with Wiseman in the fold, their chances are a lot better. The seven-foot-one F/C and potential No. 1 pick in the NBA draft is off to a blistering start, averaging 22.5 points and 10 rebounds while shooting better than 83 percent from the field as the Tigers opened with dominant wins over South Carolina State and Illinois-Chicago.
But Wiseman is going to need plenty of help in this one – and that means bigger roles for a talented backcourt led by Boogie Ellis. He ranks second on the team in scoring (15.0 ppg) and has connected on 53.8 percent of his three-point attempts, while fellow starting guard Damion Baugh paces the team in assists (6.0 apg), committing just three turnovers through his first two games.
Oregon News & Notes
Squaring off against Wiseman does make things more difficult for the Ducks, who kicked things off with wins over Fresno State and Boise State while coming within a half-point of Sportsbook with consecutive covers as well. The Ducks have been dominant on offense through two games, shooting 55.8 percent from the field and 43.8 percent from beyond the arc.
The focus of Memphis’ defensive efforts will need to be on talented guard Payton Pritchard, who showed off his versatility in wins over the Bulldogs and Broncos. The six-foot-two senior is averaging 21.5 points, 7.0 assists and 6.5 rebounds through two games while shooting an impressive 60 percent from the floor; he has added a team-best five steals for good measure.
Betting Pick: OVER 145.5
Both teams boast deep, talented offenses – and with Wiseman and the Tigers looking to make an impact on a national stage early in the season, this one has the makings of a high-scoring affair.
- Memphis is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games.
- Oregon is 12-1 ATS in its last 13 games.
- The UNDER is 14-5 in Oregon’s last 19 games.
