The USC Trojans are set to face the UCLA Bruins. Check out our college basketball odds series, which includes our USC UCLA prediction, odds, and pick.
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It is one of the more improbable facts of recent-year hoops, as college basketball odds experts will confirm: USC coach Andy Enfield is 5-0 head-to-head against UCLA coach Mick Cronin. UCLA made the Final Four last year and will be a higher NCAA Tournament seed than USC this year, but Cronin has not yet solved Enfield since he came to Westwood. It raises the obvious question if the Bruins are finally ready to break through and beat the Trojans in Pauley Pavilion. Should this USC UCLA pick be the same as previous picks, or should you go with UCLA this time?
The laws of averages would seem to be due for a course correction here. Logic seems to indicate that UCLA is bound to win one of these games at some point. Yet, the last time these teams met, USC was without an injured Isaiah Mobley. That's the Trojans' best player. UCLA seemed very, very likely to win … and it didn't. The Trojans got 27 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, and five blocked shots from Drew Peterson, who played the game of his life to carry USC. What made the win even more improbable for the Trojans is that Boogie Ellis, the Memphis transfer who has been a solid addition to the roster this year, went scoreless. USC simply seems to defy the odds when it plays UCLA. That is part of the context for a USC UCLA prediction.
USC is 9-1 in games decided by five points or fewer this year, but the Trojans just lost by 20 to Arizona. Does this mean they are due for another blowout loss, or another close win? Given the way USC plays against UCLA, one should probably lean to the latter scenario, but nothing about these two teams feels certain or sure.
UCLA was projected to be a top-10 team before the season began, and when the Bruins beat Villanova in the first week of the season, the hype surrounding the Bruins escalated. It is true that injuries have slowed this team's progress and limited what it can do on the floor, but it is also true that Cronin has given big man Cody Riley a lot of minutes, when many UCLA fans and analysts think Myles Johnson should be getting a lot more playing time. Cronin's management of his rotation has been a season-long point of focus, and maybe he will change things up against the Trojans. The USC UCLA odds might change if that happens.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the USC-UCLA odds:
College Basketball Odds: USC-UCLA Odds
USC: +8 (-110)
UCLA: -8 (-110)
Over: 137 (-110)
Under: 137 (-110)
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Why USC Could Cover the Spread
The spread is a very large one. USC losing by seven and still covering the spread seems like a very good opportunity. Keep in mind that Isaiah Mobley did not play, and Boogie Ellis did not score, when USC beat UCLA a few weeks ago. Anything from those two players should keep this game relatively close.
Why UCLA Could Cover the Spread
The Bruins are sick of hearing how Mick Cronin has not yet defeated Andy Enfield. They're going to be desperate to avoid yet another series sweep at the hands of their archrival. Of course UCLA can blow the lid off this game and run away from the Trojans.
Final USC-UCLA Prediction & Pick
UCLA might play the perfect game and turn this into a bloodbath, but these games are usually close, and USC usually figures out how to stay close to the Bruins over the course of 40 minutes.
Final USC-UCLA Pick: USC +8
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