The Seton Hall Pirates take on the USC Trojans. Check out our college basketball odds series for our Seton Hall USC prediction and pick. Find how to watch Seton Hall USC.

The USC Trojans have had a bumpy ride through the first few weeks of the season, chiefly because of injuries more than anything else. Two of their three best players, Boogie Ellis and Kobe Johnson, were unable to play against UC Irvine. The Trojans couldn't compensate for those absences in a loss to the Anteaters. In a separate game, Kobe Johnson was unable to play (Cal State Bakersfield), and in yet another game (versus Brown), forward D.J. Rodman was out and unavailable to play. USC has simply not been able to field a full roster for most of its games. When the Trojans did have everyone available in the season opener against Kansas State on November 6, they looked great in a 13-point win against an opponent which is likely to make the NCAA Tournament.

The word before tipoff in this game against Seton Hall — played at a neutral site in San Diego — is that D.J. Rodman should be able to play alongside Ellis and Johnson. USC will have its nucleus back.

However, even when Ellis and Johnson played against Brown this past Sunday, USC struggled. That is a real point of concern for the Trojans, who led Brown by just two points late in the game before a questionable technical foul call against Brown enabled USC to hit a bunch of free throws and win. USC is not getting much from its bench and its frontcourt, and Seton Hall — 4-0 on the season against cupcake-level opposition — will rightly feel it has a very good chance to win this game.

Here are the Seton Hall-USC College Basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.

College Basketball Odds: Seton Hall-USC Odds

Seton Hall Pirates: +4.5 (-114)

USC Trojans: -4.5 (-106)

Over: 138.5 (-110)

Under: 138.5 (-110)

How To Watch Seton Hall vs USC

Time: 5:30 pm ET / 2:30 pm PT

TV: Fox Sports 1

Stream: fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why Seton Hall Could Cover the Spread

The USC frontcourt is having a hard time so far this season. It's true that with Boogie Ellis and Kobe Johnson missing games, and D.J. Rodman also missing a game, USC hasn't had a lot of continuity in its lineups. However, even when the stars are on the floor for USC, it is still important for the other players to play well. They generally have not played well. Josh Morgan is struggling to score and become a factor on offense for the Trojans. Vince Iwuchukwu, the backup big man, has had back problems which prevented him from fully participating in offseason workouts. He is getting some minutes, but he is still rusty and working his way back into playing shape. Kijani Wright, another backup big man, is just not evolving the way the USC coaching staff hoped he would. With no especially reliable frontcourt presence, USC becomes a limited team opponents can exploit. Seton Hall plays good defense and can make this game ugly for USC's offense.

Why USC Could Cover the Spread

The Trojans still have Isaiah Collier, the top recruit in the country and a likely top-five pick in the 2024 NBA draft. Collier is athletic and strong. He gets to the rim. He gets to the free throw line. He is a physical marvel who changes the game for USC and its offense. With D.J. Rodman on the floor alongside Collier, Ellis, and Johnson, USC will have its preferred starting five on the court. When this starting five played against Kansas State, USC looked great. Now that the band is back together, USC should expect to thrive once again.

Final Seton Hall-USC Prediction & Pick

This is a game you should stay away from. USC has its guys on the court, but those players are not 100-percent healthy. They're healthy enough to play, but they're not as strong as they were before their various injuries. That merits caution.

Final Seton Hall-USC Prediction & Pick: Seton Hall +4.5