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Oregon vs. Rhode Island prediction and game preview, as the No. 3 Ducks and No. 11 Rams face off in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

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Oregon viciously pounded the Iona Gaels in the first round matchup 93-77 in a game where the score looks closer than it was. The Ducks used a good balance of scoring, led by Tyler Dorsey with 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting.

Rhode Island pulled a minor upset over Creighton with a 84-72 victory. All five starters scored in double figures, with Jeff Dowtin leading the way with 23 points.

Oregon vs. Rhode Island

Date: Sunday, March 19
Venue: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
Region: Midwest

Oregon wins if …

Dillon Brooks plays his game. He is one of the unsung players in the NCAA Tournament, and is capable of leading the Ducks far into this tournament, if not all the way. If not him, Oregon has Dorsey, Jordan Bell, and Dylan Ennis that are hard to contain.

Rhode Island wins if …

Matthews catches fire. The Rams are in the tournament because of his shooting, but he struggled in the opening round against Creighton. He, along with Iverson and Jeff Dowtin will have to be at their best if they want to pull another upset.

Oregon vs. Rhode Island Prediction

Upsetting Creighton (without Maurice Watson) is one thing, but taking down a complete Oregon squad is another. The Rams have been playing well, winning the A-10 Tournament, but the Ducks will be too much for them to handle. Brooks has a big game and Oregon advances to the Sweet 16.

Oregon vs. Rhode Island Score Prediction: Oregon 88, Rhode Island 71

MORE: Complete NCAA Tournament Bracket, Previews, Predictions