Pac-12 foes will battle when the No. 25 USC Trojans (7-4) take on the Washington Huskies (10-3) at Galen Center. The Over/Under (O/U) for the game opened at 158 points with USC set as an 11.5-point favorite. Action begins at 10:30 p.m. ET on Friday, December 29, 2017, and it can be seen on Pac-12 Network.
Washington Huskies vs. USC Trojans Betting Preview
The Huskies edged the Montana Grizzlies in their last matchup, 66-63. With 11 points and five rebounds, Hameir Wright had a solid game for Washington. The Huskies knocked down 17 of their 21 free throws (81.0 percent) and held the Grizzlies to an effective field goal percentage of 0.440 (below the 0.531 mark opponents have averaged against Washington this season).
In the Trojans last game, they dismantled the Akron Zips, 84-53. USC received a boost from Elijah Stewart, who was the games leading scorer with 20 points on 6-for-14 shooting. USC dominated every facet of the game. They had a phenomenal offensive rebounding percentage of 35.7 (above their season average of 34.1) and a turnover percentage of 14.1 (better than their season average of 14.3). Akron put up marks of 14.7 and 21.5, respectively, for those same stats.
USC should have the edge on the offensive side of the ball. The Trojans rank 70th in offensive efficiency, while Washington ranks 222nd in defensive efficiency.
Of Washington’s 11 games with betting action, six have finished over the O/U total, while 6 of USC’s 12 games have finished over the O/U total. The Huskies have the superior straight up (SU) record (10-3 vs. 7-4), but the Trojans hold the clear advantage against the spread (ATS) (8-5 vs. 4-6-1).
Chimezie Metu has really been playing well over the last five games for USC, averaging 20.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game.
This is the first time these teams will battle this year. The Trojans won all three matchups played against each other last season. In the most recent matchup, USC won 78-73. The Trojans played a nearly flawless game. They had a fantastic free throw rate of 0.407 and a turnover percentage of 10.0. For those same stats, the Huskies were 0.173 and 23.0, respectively.
Washington Huskies vs. USC Trojans Prediction
Predictions: SU Winner – USC, ATS Winner – Washington, O/U – Over
Betting Notes:
- The Huskies rank 164th in three pointers allowed per game (23.2) while the Trojans rank 235th (26.3).
- Washington ranks 16th in blocks per game (6.0) while USC ranks 42nd in blocks allowed per game (2.6).
- Washington is 2-1 ATS on the road with 2 overs and 1 under.
- At home, USC is 3-4 ATS with 3 unders, 2 overs and 1 push.
- USC ranks 21st in rebounds per game (40.7) while Washington ranks 188th (34.3).
- The Trojans rank 71st in assists per game (15.7) while the Huskies rank 237th in assists allowed per game (17.5).
- Washington ranks 14th in steals per game (9.3) while USC ranks 174th (4.8).
Bettings Trends:
- USC is 3-2 ATS with 4 overs and 1 under in their last five games.
- Over their last five games, Washington is 1-3 ATS with 2 overs and 2 unders.
- The Trojans average margin of victory in their last five games has been 10.6, up from 9.2 for the season.
- During their last five games, the Huskies have scored an average of 79.2 points per game (1.3 below their season average) and allowed an average of 71.4 points per game (4.4 below their season average).
