NCAA Tournament Pick: East Region – Oregon vs. Liberty – Friday, March 21, 2025

The 12th-seed Liberty Flames (28-6) have a great opportunity ahead of them when they face the fifth-seed Oregon Ducks (24-9) in the first round of the East Region on Friday, March 21 at 10:10 PM ET at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington. MyBookie shows the Ducks favored with a point spread at -6.5 (-120).

Liberty Flames Betting Preview

The Flames are on a five-game win streak coming into this battle and are 11-2 since the beginning of February. Their recent success was a 79-67 outing over the Jacksonville State Gamecocks in the CUSA Championship Final.

Taelon Peters leads their offense with 13.9 points per game and shoots 58.6 percent from the field. Zach Cleveland contributes quality possessions for them, with 11.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game. Together they will have to perform at a high level to keep their chances of winning alive.

Liberty ranks 105th in the nation for their production of 76.6 points per game. On the defensive end, they rank 10th in allowing 62.9 points a game. This spread is great to see, but is not as strong since they play in a weaker conference.

The Flames are 83rd overall when factoring in their strength of schedule plus winning point margins. Their efficiency on the offensive end per 100 possessions ranks 51st and their defense at the same rate comes in at sixth.

Oregon Ducks Betting Preview

The Ducks had their eight-game win streak come to an end when they faced the Michigan State Spartans in the Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinal and lost 74-64. They have been a volatile team this season, but at least they appear to be in good form at the right time of the season.

Nate Bittle is averaging 14.1 points and is shooting 51.0 percent from the floor per game. He is also leading the team in rebounds at 7.4 per game, which shows how vital he is to the team.

Oregon is 112th in points scored per game at 76.2 while their defense ranks 148th for allowing 70.9 from opponents. This margin of error is not a lot to work with, which is some cause for concern given they struggled early in the season.

The Ducks rank 34th overall in college basketball for their point differential and strength of schedule combined. Per their last 100 possessions, their efficiency on offense ranks 121st while their defense ranks 112th. This shows they could have their hands full against the Flames.

Odds, Series Trends, and Free Pick

The best Liberty Flames vs. Oregon Ducks betting odds have been provided by MyBookie, which show the Ducks as 6.5-point favorites. Market predictions suggest the Ducks have a 75.5 percent chance at winning.

The Ducks have been volatile at times this season, but should win. The Flames could keep it close and cover the spread.

Final Pick: Liberty Flames +6.5 (+100)