USC vs. UCLA: College Basketball Best Bets, Picks & Predictions (Thursday)

After No. 1 Purdue lost at home to Rutgers on Monday, it opened the door for a new team to claim the No. 1 ranking when the AP poll comes out next week. No. 3 Kansas has a legitimate argument after an impressive road victory against Texas Tech, and No. 2 Houston gets a chance to make a statement tonight when hosting rival SMU.

Here are our best bets for Thursday’s college basketball action. And here’s a closer look at USC vs. UCLA.

(Odds courtesy of DraftKings)

USC vs. UCLA: College Basketball Best Bets, Picks & Predictions (Thursday)

As usual, Mick Cronin has one of the best defensive teams in the country. UCLA is holding opponents to an average of 57.4 points per game over the last seven games. Only one opponent (Long Beach State) has scored more than 64 points against the Bruins on their home floor, and USC has averaged 66.3 points in its three games against top-150 KenPom competition. In addition, UCLA ranks fifth in Haslametrics’ efficiency rating and ranks in the top 30 in the country in near-proximity percentage allowed. USC thrives on 2-point baskets, getting 56.2% of its points inside the arc (55th-most). Thus, the Trojans will likely need to consistently hit outside shots to keep pace, which is not their forte (32.3% 3-point percentage ranks 237th).

The Under has covered in each of UCLA’s last four games, and is 4-1 in USC’s last five games following a SU loss.

Bet: USC-UCLA Under 140.5 (-110 at DraftKings)

Go premium to view top prop bets based on Cover Probability, Expected Value & Star Rating >>

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