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The Washington Huskies are set to face the USC Trojans. Check out our college basketball odds series, which includes our Washington USC prediction, odds, and pick.
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The Washington Huskies turned into a good home-court team this Pac-12 season. Pac-12 Tournament odds analysts and college basketball odds experts would not disagree. Washington lost at home to Arizona and UCLA in conference play, but UW defeated all other conference visitors to Seattle, including Oregon and Colorado. Coach Mike Hopkins entered this season on the hot seat, and things looked really grim after an ugly stretch in November, but Hopkins enabled Washington to finish in the middle tier of the Pac-12, enough to save his job for at least one more season.
The big limitation with the Huskies, however — which is relevant to anyone thinking about a Washington USC prediction — is that while UW is strong at home, it has been weak away from home. Washington beat California, Oregon State, and Utah in road conference games. The Huskies mopped up the bottom tier of the league. They didn't beat anyone else in the Pac-12 away from home. With this game being on a neutral floor in Las Vegas, Washington has something to prove. The Huskies comfortably beat 11th-seeded Utah, but now comes the big challenge in the form of USC.
When considering a Washington USC pick, you will note that USC has lost two straight games and isn't playing high-level basketball. However, USC's two losses over the past week came to the two best teams in the Pac-12, Arizona and UCLA. The Trojans took care of business this year against lesser teams, Stanford being the one exception. It's true that USC had some close calls against weaker opposition. The Trojans needed two overtimes to beat Oregon State and a buzzer-beater to escape Washington State at home. However, they ultimately have toughed out some wins against opponents they are supposed to beat. It raises the central question of this game: Will USC make life easy for itself, or difficult? It's usually the latter.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Washington-USC odds:
Pac-12 Tournament Odds: Washington-USC Odds
Washington: +6.5 (-110)
USC: -6.5 (-110)
Over: 141.5 (-110)
Under: 141.5 (-110)
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Why Washington Could Cover the Spread
The Huskies have Terrell Brown Jr., an electric scorer who is playing really well and can put a team on his back at tournament time. Washington can definitely beat USC if Brown is dialed in and hitting 3-pointers. USC's offense struggles at times. Boogie Ellis is a talented but ultimately inconsistent player. If Washington can hold him down and more broadly limit USC's production in the backcourt, the Huskies' guards can win this game for them.
Why USC Could Cover the Spread
The Trojans played a lot of basketball in the final week of the Pac-12 regular season, having to go to Oregon, then host Arizona, then visit UCLA. Having had four days to rest, the Trojans — whose coach, Andy Enfield, just signed a contract extension and got a pay raise along with it — should be happy and rejuvenated, ready to play a strong defensive game which locks down Washington's guards.
Final Washington-USC Prediction & Pick
USC looked mentally fatigued last week. The Trojans should be mentally fresh for this game. They're unlikely to lose three in a row, and they have regularly handled the teams they are supposed to beat in the Pac-12. They will play well and cover.
Final Washington-USC Pick: USC -6.5
