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The Washington State Cougars are set to face the USC Trojans. Check out our college basketball odds series, which includes our Washington State USC prediction, odds, and pick.
The Washington State Cougars are running out of time and opportunity. They couldn't beat Arizona, Oregon, or UCLA in the past week, all games which — had they won — would have given the Cougars the high-end Quadrant 1 win they needed to put on their NCAA Tournament resume. The analytics have liked Washington State, because the Cougars have thrashed mediocre teams by large margins this season, but the Cougars have not been able to win big games against the top tier of the Pac-12. They also lost multiple nonconference games in home-court or neutral-court settings, which also makes their resume precariously thin. They need this game against USC to boost their resume, and they will definitely have more work to do against Oregon and their other opponents before the Pac-12 Tournament in Las Vegas in the second week of March. Think about that when considering a Washington State USC prediction.
Washington State took USC down to the wire in Pullman in early December. A late basket by Chevez Goodwin gave USC a narrow win, which was part of the Trojans' 13-0 start to the season. USC went through a very rough stretch in mid-January, losing twice to Stanford in a span of two and a half weeks while also dropping a decision at home to Oregon. USC had to play eight games in 19 days due to COVID-19 adjusted schedules. That heavy workload took away USC's legs and made the Trojans much less energetic on defense, something to note when formulating a Washington State USC pick.
Since the end of January, however, with added time to rest and practice — under a normal Pac-12 scheduling structure — USC has looked like a physically refreshed team. The lighter schedule has enabled USC to gear up for big games, especially the Feb. 12 upset of UCLA. That win over the Bruins was an upset because USC was without its best player, Isaiah Mobley, brother of NBA rookie sensation Evan Mobley. USC got an unexpected 27-point breakout game from Drew Peterson to offset Mobley's injury absence and Boogie Ellis' scoreless game.
USC is winning because its defense is back in a groove. The Trojans limited Washington to 25 first-half points on Thursday night and cruised to a 10-point victory in which they led by 15 to 17 points for most of the second half. USC handled UCLA at the defensive end of the floor as well. This team is back to its bread and butter: defending the 3-point line with its length and denying opponents large amounts of second-chance points.
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Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Washington State-USC odds:
College Basketball odds: Washington State-USC Odds
Washington State: +7 (-106)
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USC: -7 (-114)
Over: 133.5 (-110)
Under: 133.5 (-110)
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Why Washington State Could Cover the Spread
The Cougars were terrible on Thursday night at UCLA. They are definitely going to offer a better performance here, and they have already tested USC in a close game. They could play the Trojans closely a second time, and that would be enough to cover.
Why USC Could Cover the Spread
The Trojans are in a good place right now, defending well and getting contributions from more players. Drew Peterson's offense makes this team very tough to beat. Isaiah Mobley returned from an injury against Washington and should be more comfortable for this Sunday game.
Final Washington State-USC Prediction & Pick
Washington State is playing its fifth game in an 11-day stretch due to COVID-19 makeup games. The Cougars are not in a position to play their very best. USC, meanwhile, looks fresher in February after playing multiple COVID-19 makeup games in January. USC should win comfortably.
Final Washington State-USC Pick: USC -7
