The Pac-12 Conference action continues Thursday night with the Washington Huskies vs. USC Trojans showdown at Galen Center in Los Angeles, so here’s the best betting pick along with the most important stats and betting trends.
The Trojans opened as massive double-digit favorites on BetMGM Sportsbook. Last season, they split a two-game set with the Huskies, tallying a 62-56 home win as 2.5-point favorites.
The Huskies’ slide continues
The Washington Huskies (1-9; 0-5 Conf.) are on a six-game losing streak following an 84-78 defeat at the California Golden Bears this past Saturday. They failed to cover a 2.5-point spread, so the Huskies are 0-5 ATS over their previous five outings.
Washington is No. 251 in the latest NCAA NET Rankings and No. 141 in the KenPom rankings. The Huskies allow 98.4 points per 100 possessions (107th in the country), but they score only 100.7 in a return (184th).
Only junior guard Quade Green averages points in double figures, posting 15.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game. The Huskies shoot a terrible 39.4% from the field (320th) and 26.7% from beyond the arc (332nd) while surrendering the seventh-most assists per game in the nation (16.7).
The Trojans search for their fifth straight win
The USC Trojans (9-2; 3-1 Conf.) are rolling on a four-game win streak following a 67-62 overtime win to the UC Riverside Highlanders this past Tuesday. They barely avoided an upset as huge 14-point home favorites, but the Trojans fully deserved to win thanks to their terrific defense.
USC allows only 90.4 points per 100 possessions (13th) on 36.0% shooting from the field (2nd). The Trojans score 110.5 points in a return (44th) while making 47.3% of their field goals (63rd). USC is No. 16 in the NCAA NET Rankings and No. 21 in the latest KenPom rankings.
While three USC players average points in double digits, freshman forward Evan Mobley leads the way with 16.2 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. Senior guard Tahj Eaddy tallies 12.5 points and 3.2 boards per contest, while junior guard Drew Peterson adds 10.4 points, 5.4 boards, and 3.8 assists a night.
[metabet_core_odds_compare query=”ncaab/usc” size=”300×250″ site_id=”atsio” css=”float:right; margin-left:10px”]Washington:
- 2-9 ATS in the last 11 games overall
- 2-14 ATS in the last 16 road contests
USC:
- 5-1 ATS in the last six home games against Washington
- 5-2 ATS in the last seven games overall
The Winner Prediction
The Trojans are a much better team than the Huskies who lack talent everywhere, so I’m backing the hosts to pile on Washington’s misery and cover a 14.5-point spread. Evan Mobley will torture the Huskies in the paint, while the Trojans should shut down Washington’s offense with ease.
USC limited its opponents below 65 points in three of their last four outings. On the other side, the Huskies allowed 80-plus points in four straight outings.
Pick: Take USC -14.5 at -110
The Total:
The under is 4-1 in USC’s last five games overall, and it is 6-2 in the previous eight encounters between the Trojans and Huskies. On the other hand, five of Washington’s last eight contests went in the over.
This is a tough wager because the Trojans could easily limit the Huskies below 60 points, but they can also drop a bunch of baskets on Washington’s hapless defense. I’m going with the under because the Trojans like to play at a slow pace and won’t rush things against the Huskies who’ll struggle mightily to get some points.
Pick: Go under 137.5 points at -110
