The USC Trojans take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Saturday afternoon in a Big Ten college basketball matchup. The game tips off at 7:00 p.m. EST in Los Angeles, California.
The Trojans are listed as 12.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook with the total set at O/U 145.5 points. Below is my full preview, prediction and pick for this Big Ten college basketball matchup.
USC vs. Rutgers prediction, preview
It has been a rough season for Rutgers basketball. The Scarlet Knights struggled in non-conference play, and things have not gotten better in Big Ten action. The Scarlet Knights are 2-8 in Big Ten play, with both wins coming in overtime. They are on a four-game losing streak coming into this matchup against USC. Junior guard Tariq Francis leads the team with 16.1 points per game. However, outside of Francis, it has been a struggle for Rutgers to put the ball in the basket. The team ranks dead last in the Big Ten in points per game this season. Rutgers failing to make the NCAA Tournament with Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper last season should have been a warning sign of bad times ahead.
Meanwhile, USC has been fighting to stay relevant in the Big Ten this season. The Trojans only dropped one game during the non-conference slate, and that came against Washington, a fellow Big Ten team. Conference play has not been as kind to the Trojans, who sit in the middle of the pack with a 4-6 Big Ten record. It is not too late for USC to find a groove and play its way into the NCAA Tournament. However, it is time to start piecing some wins together. The Trojans have come up just short against Iowa and Purdue in recent weeks, but are struggling to close out games. The team is missing standout guard Rodney Rice, who is out for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury. However, they still have one of the best guards in the conference in Chad Baker-Mazara, the Auburn transfer.
USC vs. Rutgers pick
My best bet for this game is for Rutgers to cover as 12.5-point underdogs. It is hard to win by that big a margin in conference play, and as much as Rutgers has struggled, it also went to overtime with Michigan State last time out. Of its six conference losses, only two have come by double-digits, and one of those losses was to No. 9 Illinois. USC is an athletic group that can score in bunches at times, but is also quite inconsistent. Of USC’s three conference wins, only one has come by double-digits. The Trojans just faced Northwestern, one of the worst teams in the conference, and only won by six points. They struggle to put teams away, while the Scarlet Knights have a knack for sticking around in games they don’t belong in. Tariq Francis should be able to create enough offense to keep Rutgers in this game and cover the large spread.
