The Colorado Buffaloes (6-2 overall, 0-1 Pac-12) visit the USC Trojans (5-1, 0-0) in a Thursday night (10 p.m. ET) contest at the Galen Center in Los Angeles. Below, we analyze the Colorado-USC college basketball betting odds and lines, with picks and predictions.
Colorado at USC: Betting odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 12:22 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Colorado +115 (bet $100 to win $115) | USC -140 (bet $140 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Colorado +2.5 (-115) | USC -2.5 (-105)
- Over/Under: 139.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Colorado at USC: Three things to know
- Southern California has played just once since Dec. 8, and that was an 86-63 home win over Santa Clara Tuesday. The Trojans head into Thursday’s tilt ranked as a top-60 scoring team at both ends of the floor. The USC offense (80.8 points per game) ranks 59th in the nation; the defense (63.7 PPG allowed) ranks 52nd.
- Colorado had held opponents to just 57.4 PPG until allowing 88 points in a loss at Arizona Monday. The Buffaloes were a minus-5 in turnovers in that game, and the Wildcats shot 52.6% from the floor and got to the free-throw line 27 times. Over its previous seven games, CU held foes to a 38% mark from the floor.
- A youthful Trojans rotation (five upperclassmen among top-10 in minutes) is led by seven-footer PF Evan Mobley. The freshman center is averaging 17.4 PPG on the strength of a 63.9% mark from the field. Mobley is averaging 8.7 rebounds per contest. He’s the younger brother of sophomore Isaiah Mobley, who is averaging 10.0 points and 8.8 rebounds per game for USC.
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Colorado at USC: Odds, betting lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
USC 73, Colorado 70
Money line (ML)
The lean is on USC in a close game. But PASS on the ML tag.
Against the spread (ATS)
The Buffaloes are 1-6 ATS over their last seven games against winning teams. They are 1-5 ATS over their last half-dozen road tilts. The Trojans are 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall. At home, they’ve won nine straight overall and three straight ATS.
There is just a SLIGHT LEAN ON USC -2.5 (-105) for this one. It may take more time for the market to catch up to a young USC team which is more efficient on offense.
Over/Under (O/U)
Both teams have improved on offense from a year ago. The Over is 4-2 in CU’s last six on the road and 3-1 in USC’s last four at home.
TAKE THE OVER 139.5 (-110).
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