USC Trojans vs Wisconsin Badgers Preview & Prediction - 1/25/2026

USC visits Wisconsin on Sunday with both teams carrying high-powered offenses and going into this game with plenty at stake in the Big Ten. Wisconsin has won five straight games with improved shot quality of late, while USC arrives looking to steady things after consecutive defeats against Northwestern and Purdue. Before this Big Ten matchup tips off, continue reading to get my USC vs Wisconsin prediction on the court.

Our USC vs Wisconsin Pick

Pick: USC +8.5 ATS PRO

Confidence: 2/5

Game Snapshot

• Matchup: USC Trojans @ Wisconsin Badgers
• Date & Time: January 25, 2026, 4:00 PM ET
• Venue: Kohl Center, Madison, Wisconsin
• Broadcast: Peacock

Key Storylines

• Wisconsin surge: The Badgers have earned five straight wins, capped by a 98-71 road win at Penn State. The Badgers come into this game averaging above 88 points per game at home this season and they will try to continue playing winning basketball at home here.
• USC recent form: The Trojans fell 74-68 at Northwestern after losing to Purdue 69-64. Their road trip now shifts to Madison against a hot offensive team. But it's been the offense of the Trojans that has let them down of late, failing to score 70 points in two straight games.
• Primary scorers: Wisconsin guard Nick Boyd enters with 19.4 PPG with efficient midrange and catch-and-shoot work. Big man Nolan Winter is near 9 RPG on the glass. For USC, wing Chad Baker‑Mazara is averaging 18.6 PPG while forward Jacob Cofie leads the Trojans on the glass.
• Availability notes: USC freshman Jerry Easter II was recently cleared after illness. No new major Wisconsin setbacks have been reported entering Sunday.

Head-to-Head & Betting Trends

• Wisconsin is 2-0 all-time against USC in men's basketball.
• This is the first time that USC is playing on the road against Wisconsin.
• USC comes into this game with a 9-9 record against the spread for the season.
• The Badgers are 10-9 against the spread going into Sunday afternoon.
• The over/under is 9-9 in games involving USC this year.
• The over is 12-7 in Wisconsin's games so far this season.

USC Trojans vs Wisconsin Badgers Model Projection

Score Projection: USC 72 – Wisconsin 77

Win Probability: USC 42%, Wisconsin 58%

Final Thoughts

Wisconsin’s home output, cleaner late‑game execution, and recent form should be enough for them to come away with the win on their home floor in this game. But I think that USC will cover the spread as an underdog on the road. The Trojans have struggled on offense lately, but they have been competitive during their last two losses on the road and should continue to compete in this matchup. Expect this game to come down to the wire, even though my expectation is for the Badgers to eventually come away with the win.

Jay Sanin

Jay Sanin is the GM and Head of Sports at ATS.io. He has been writing about sports gambling since 2013, handicapping tens of thousands of sporting events. He plays sides and totals aggressively across most sports and is more selective in player prop markets. He does his own modeling across most sports, and his family is jealous of how much time he spends on his precious spreadsheets.

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