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The Bakersfield Roadrunners take on the USC Trojans. Check out our college basketball odds series for our Bakersfield USC prediction and pick. Find how to watch Bakersfield USC.
The USC Trojans haven't done well in football this year, but they might have something special on their hands in men's basketball. USC delivered a solid performance in its first game of the new season, beating Kansas State 82-69 in one of the more high-profile games from the first night of the new college basketball campaign. All eyes were on Isaiah Collier, the No. 1 recruit in the 2023 class. He was playing his first college regular-season game. Would he live up to the hype?
He very clearly did. Collier was the best player on the floor for most of the game. USC struggled when he fouled out late in the second half, but when he was on the floor, the Trojans dominated. Collier was so imposing and dominant in this game that he drew three “and-one” fouls in the first 16 minutes of regulation. That's three good baskets, finished through contact, with fouls drawn against the opposing defense. Collier is that strong when he goes to the rim, and he is that consistent in getting to the basket despite defenders' best attempts to deter him.
Collier is a very difficult matchup for opposing point guards. He becomes that much harder to guard when Boogie Ellis and Kobe Johnson are in the same backcourt with him. Collier, Ellis and Johnson combined for 58 points in the win over Kansas State. Teams might try to take away one of the three, but it's going to be very hard to stop two of them, let alone all three. That's part of why USC is so dangerous.
The Trojans looked good against Kansas State even though Bronny James, the son of Los Angeles Laker superstar and NBA icon LeBron James, is not yet available to play due to recovery from cardiac arrest brought on by a congenital heart defect. Bronny is expected to get a medical checkup later this month. If that checkup goes well, he could resume basketball activities and potentially play live games for USC starting in early January or some point shortly after Christmas. We have to wait and see what his late-November checkup reveals about his health. USC is also without big man Vince Iwuchukwu, who is dealing with back problems.
Here are the Bakersfield-USC College Basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Bakersfield-USC Odds
Bakersfield Roadrunners: +23.5 (-102)
USC Trojans: -23.5 (-120)
Over: 140.5 (-118)
Under: 140.5 (-104)
How To Watch Bakersfield vs USC
Time: 9:00 pm ET / 6:00 pm PT
TV: Pac-12 Network
Stream: fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Bakersfield Could Cover the Spread
The spread is very large, and after USC's physically demanding win over Kansas State, the Trojans might downshift and cruise through this game with less than total intensity. It's a natural hangover game, a night in which USC might not be at its best. That would enable Bakersfield to stay close enough to cover.
Why USC Could Cover the Spread
The Trojans are really good. More than that, they have multiple scoring options. If Isaiah Collier isn't scoring at the rim, Boogie Ellis and Kobe Johnson can hit jumpers or find other openings in the defense. USC scored 82 against Kansas State despite not shooting well from 3-point range.
Bakersfield barely beat Southern Utah (by one point) in its season opener. The Roadrunners have nowhere near the talent USC possesses. There's a very wide gulf between these teams, probably more than 24 points.
Final Bakersfield-USC Prediction & Pick
USC is strong, but USC might also have a letdown in this game. Stay away from a pregame bet and look for a live play here.
Final Bakersfield-USC Prediction & Pick: USC -23.5
