The No. 15 USC Trojans (14-2, 4-2 Pac-12) travel to Boulder, Colo., to tangle with the Colorado Buffaloes (12-4, 4-2) Thursday with a 7:30 p.m. ET tip-off at CU Events Center. Below, we look at the USC vs. Colorado odds and lines and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
Rankings courtesy of the Ferris Mowers Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports.
USC lost at home Saturday to the Oregon Ducks. The Trojans have lost two of their last three games after being undefeated through their first 13 games. Southern Cal has been outshot in each of those three contests.
The Buffaloes split a pair of Pac-12 games in Arizona last week: CU lost to No. 3 Arizona and beat Arizona State. Colorado is 6-1 over its last seven games and has been quite good defensively over that stretch as it’s held foes under 41% from the field in five of those games.
USC at Colorado odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 7:53 a.m. ET.
- Money line: USC -130 (bet $130 to win $100) | Colorado +105 (bet $100 to win $105)
- Against the spread (ATS): USC -1.5 (-112) | Colorado +1.5 (-108)
- Over/Under (O/U): 136.5 (O: -115 | U: -107)
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USC at Colorado odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
USC 71, Colorado 65
Money line
USC (-130) IS THE TOP PLAY IN THIS GAME.
The Trojans figure to counter a couple of the Buffaloes’ strengths (rebounding, free-throw rate) effectively, and they’re the better shooting and defensive team. USC also does well to protect the basketball so look for them to make the most of their possessions against a young Colorado five.
Against the spread
The road team has gone 4-1 ATS over the last five USC-CU games.
Southern Cal has been undone from distance of late but three-point shooting is not a Colorado strength and the young Buffaloes may have trouble against a staunch USC interior defense.
BACK THE TROJANS -1.5 (-112).
Over/Under
STEER CLEAR of the O/U action in this one. Both sides carry around some stuttering recent pace figures, and this game is difficult to peg.
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