10:00 p.m. ET – No. 20 USC (-11.5) at Washington O/U: 147
| Teams | Spread | Money Line | Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| USC | -11½ (-118) | -710 | O 147 (-110) |
| Washington | +11½ (-102) | +530 | U 147 (-110) |
The 15-3 Trojans travel to Seattle to take on the 3-14 Huskies Thursday night. USC has won four in a row, most recently defeating rival UCLA 66-48 on Saturday. Washington has struggled mightily this season, collecting only two conference wins and just three overall up to this point. The Huskies lost to Oregon 86-74 on Saturday to continue their slide down the conference standings.
The first matchup of the season was a rout with USC winning 95-68 in Los Angeles. The Trojans are led by forward Evan Mobley, one of the best freshmen in the country. Mobley leads USC with 16.3 points and 9 rebounds per game. Mobley had 17 points in the previous meeting against the Huskies and proved to be a massive mismatch.
The Huskies are led by Kentucky transfer Quade Green, who is averaging 15.4 points per game. Green has had 20 or more points in three of Washington’s last four games. Green was held to five points in the first matchup on 2-of-11 shooting, so obviously the Huskies will need a more productive game from him to have a chance at all of pulling off the upset.
The Huskies launch over 41 percent of their field-goal attempts from behind the 3-point line. USC boasts one of the best 3-point defenses in the conference, allowing only 31.9 percent from deep. Washington’s has played a 2-3 zone defense the majority of the season, which has proven to be vulnerable to athletic teams who possess quality perimeter shooting. That is exactly what USC brings to the table. So lay the points and take the Trojans in this one. The Trojans are playing better basketball than they were the first time these two met, and they won that game by 27 points.
The Pick: USC (-11½)
