The USC Trojans and UCLA Bruins are at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Friday night. This is a rivalry and Pac-12 Tournament game on the Vegas Strip.
USC and UCLA played two games back, with the Bruins coming out with a 75-68 win at home. They split the season series this season. USC had a 67-64 win over UCLA on February 12.
Both teams look attractive based on their current records. The Trojans are 26-6 while UCLA is 24-6. It’s a little deceptive, though, as I’m not overly high on either side.
Bruins are back in the semis. ?
Jaime Jaquez Jr. & Jules Bernard combined for 42 points as @UCLAMBB beat Washington State 75-65 to reach the #Pac12MBB tourney semifinals.#GoBruins | @Vegas pic.twitter.com/6vbLBGyXTq
— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) March 11, 2022
It’s not that farfetched to predict this for Pac-12 schools, though. USC and UCLA could be ripe for an upset in the NCAA Tournament. It seems to happen often in March to this conference.
Having said that, UCLA is in good form on a four-game winning streak. They have a win in seven of their previous eight outings and have some confidence.
Their one loss during that stretch was versus this same USC team. UCLA returned the favor at home, but these two exchanged blogs in the regular season.
The Bruins pulled ahead for a 75-65 win over Washington State to advance on Friday. Jaime Jaquez Jr. was too good for the Cougars, as he scored 23 points and 11 rebounds.
Win No. 2️⃣6️⃣.
Ties the school record. pic.twitter.com/u2yUnNvSS5
— USC Men's Basketball (@USC_Hoops) March 11, 2022
USC can’t allow Jaquez Jr. to get comfortable at T-Mobile tonight. In the last meeting, Jaquez Jr. did that against the Trojans, scoring 27 points and 6 boards.
However, at UCLA on February 12, he was held to only 5 points. I don’t know if USC can do the same this time in the Pac-12 Tournament, but preventing him from going off might be sufficient.
Head below for our free USC vs. UCLA prediction on March 11, 2022.
USC Trojans vs. UCLA Bruins Betting Odds and Team Statistics:
The following odds are courtesy of BetOnline:
| Teams | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| USC Trojans | +6 (-110) | +205 | Over 134 (-110) |
| UCLA Bruins | -6 (-110) | -245 | Under 134 (-110) |
| Team Data | USC Trojans | UCLA Bruins |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Record | 26-6 | 24-6 |
| ATS Record | 15-17-0 | 16-13-1 |
| Away/Home Record | NEUTRAL | NEUTRAL |
| ATS Away/Home | NEUTRAL | NEUTRAL |
| Points Per Game | 73.3 | 76.6 |
| Points Against Per Game | 66.0 | 64.3 |
| Field Goal % | 45.5 | 44.9 |
| Three Point % | 35.4 | 35.2 |
USC vs. UCLA Prediction:
UCLA is going to be tough in the NCAA Tournament. They are not going to just lay down for teams. However, defeating UCLA is not the biggest mystery.
Put the locks on Jaquez Jr., and the Trojans turn into a very ordinary team. This is much easier said than done. That said, USC has already done it before this season.
They know what it takes, and USC has the bodies to throw at him. USC is effective at limiting teams from the field as well.
The Trojans are 14th in the NCAA, with a 38.9% field goal percentage allowed. They’ve allowed 66 points per game, while UCLA conceded 64.3 points per game.
UCLA is 70th with a 41.4% field goal percentage against. USC does have the edge in that regard.
However, the Trojans must be better after allowing 77.4 points a game through their previous five attempts. It’s worth noting that most of that was against Arizona.
They were in good form in a 65-61 win over Washington on Friday. Washington looked great versus Utah and was surging before the Trojans cooled them off.
USC Trojans vs. UCLA Bruins Betting Trends:
- 6-1 ATS in their previous seven games as an underdog
- 4-1 ATS in their previous five games verus a team with a winning percentage better than 60%
- 4-2 ATS in their previous six games versus UCLA
- 7-2 overall in their previous nine games
- 2-4 ATS in their previous six games on a Friday
- 1-4 ATS in their previous five games versus a team with a winning percentage worse than 60%
- The favorite is 1-5 ATS in their previous six games versus USC
- 6-2 ATS in their previous eight games
- UNDER is 5-0 in their previous five games on a neutral court
- UNDER is 5-1 in their previous six games as an underdog
This season, USC has scored 73.3 points per game with a 45.5% field goal percentage. The key to this one is going to be Isaiah Mobley shutting down Jaquez Jr.
He won’t completely, but probably enough to keep the Trojans in this game. USC covered the spread in three of their previous four attempts versus UCLA.
In the Pac-12 Tournament in Las Vegas tonight, expect this one to be a competitive game with USC having an opening for a straight-up win. This point spread looks a touch too high. Give me the Trojans in a 3 or 4-point game.
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