UCLA vs USC: Betting Odds, Picks, and Predictions (2/12/22)

UCLA vs USC Betting Odds

Arizona is beginning to separate itself in the Pac-12 standings. The Wildcats are 11-1 with a two-game lead over the field.

UCLA and USC both sit at 9-3 alongside Oregon.

Therefore, the loser of this game is likely out of the regular-season race.

Both teams are also coming off questionable results. USC needed a late-game rally to beat Pacific while UCLA just dropped a game to Arizona State.

And, both teams recently lost to Arizona.

So, between two Pac-12 powerhouses hungry for a victory, which one has the edge in this cross-town rivalry?

UCLA Bruins Odds

UCLA continues to truck along staying true to itself. Tyger Campell takes care of the ball and gets it to his trio of wings. Jules Bernard, Jaime Jaquez, and Johnny Juzang take a ton of 2-point jumpers as a result.

The Bruins score a ton as a result. UCLA is 17th nationally in offensive efficiency.

But the defense has been the real surprise. UCLA is highly physical and athletic enough to switch everything two through five. UCLA forces steals at the third-highest rate in the conference and have been particularly good at defending the deep ball.

The triple-overtime loss to Arizona State was frustrating, but the Bruins shot just 5-for-22 from 3. Meanwhile, Arizona made 12 of its 31 3-point attempts, which isn’t great but ended up being the difference in the 3-point victory.

UCLA is still slated for a two or three seed in the big dance, and that’s unlikely to change based on its conference tournament result. UCLA will have USC in the Pac-12 regular-season finale but will have to hold serve against every other competitor – including Oregon on February 24.

USC Trojans Odds

USC is huge.

The Trojans are third nationally in average height and run between 6-foot-9 and 6-foot-11 at the three, four, and five.

As a result, the Trojans are one of the best interior defenses in the nation. USC is fourth nationally in 2-point defense and third in the Pac-12 in defensive rebounding rate.

Between Drew Peterson, Chevez Goodwin, and Isaiah Mobley, it’s near impossible to get the ball down in the low post – much less score from there.

USC is basically above-average offensively. Nothing special, but Boogie Ellis and Mobley combine for 27.5 points per game while being solid from an efficiency standpoint – both have an ORtg above 110.

Chevez Goodwin is actually the highest usage player but has yet to attempt a 3-point shot this season. That’s taken his efficiency stats down slightly, but don’t overlook him, as he scores in double digits almost every night.

UCLA vs USC Prediction and Pick

My pick: UCLA -1.5 (-110 at BetMGM)

USC is just fraudulent.

The Trojans have slipped all the way to 116th in effective field goal percentage and 346th in free-throw shooting. The Trojans got swept by Stanford and lost at home to a mercurial Oregon team.

UCLA is still legit and will be looking to sweep this crosstown rivalry to up its stock entering March.

While USC’s defense is excellent – particularly on the interior – UCLA is not a team you can beat with defense alone. The Bruins will attack and attack and attack you until they outscore you.

USC doesn’t have the shot-makers that UCLA does, and I’m predicting the Bruins sweep both games in February.

That starts tonight by covering a short road spread.