Arizona vs. USC Pick
Can No. 14 Arizona handle being a road favorite against a 16-win USC team when the two meet up tonight at 9PM ET?
According to oddsmakers at BetDSI, Arizona is a slight favorite on the road, as the Wildcats are getting odds of -3.5 points against the Trojans. The over/under total for the contest is listed at 143.5 points. Arizona has won three of its last four against USC, but the Trojans have covered the spread in two straight meetings with the Wildcats.
Arizona is rolling along to a 5-0 start in the Pac-12. The Wildcats are on a 10-game winning streak right now to get to 16-2 on the season. However, Arizona hasn’t covered in its last three games and is 9-8-1 against the spread for the season. Arizona is averaging 75.2 points per game on offense this season while giving up just 61.6 points per contest. Amazingly, those numbers improve on the road. Arizona is putting up 79 points per game and giving up just 58. Lauri Markkanen is averaging 16.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game to lead the team while four others are also scoring in double figures.
USC has had a pretty good season thus far, going 16-3, but the Trojans are just 3-3 in Pac-12 action. USC is also 9-9 against the spread this season, but just 2-8 against the spread in its last 10. USC is putting up 78.6 points per game on the year while allowing 70.7 on defense. Chimezie Metu is averaging 14.1 points and 7.8 rebounds per game to lead the team while Jordan McLaughlin is adding 13.9 points and 4.8 assists per game.
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USC has a nice record, but the key numbers don’t really match up against a team like Arizona. The Trojans haven’t been good at the betting window lately and today isn’t likely to go much better. Arizona should be able to overwhelm USC with its defense and the Trojans haven’t given much reason to believe they will rise to the occasion tonight.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL DAILY PREDICTION: ARIZONA -3.5