USC vs Arizona 3/1/22 College Basketball Picks, Predictions, Odds
Arizona Wildcats (25-3) vs. USC Trojans (25-4)
March 1, 2022 11:00 pm EDT
The Line: USC Trojans +5.5 / Arizona Wildcats -5.5; Over/Under: 150
(Get latest betting odds)
The 2nd ranked Arizona Wildcats will travel to the Galen Center to take on the 16th ranked USC Trojans this Tuesday night in College Basketball action.
The 2nd ranked Arizona Wildcats had their 10-game winning streak snapped and dropped to 25-3 on the season after being defeated by the Colorado Buffaloes, 79-63, this past Saturday. Arizona led by a 37-32 margin at halftime, however, the Wildcats struggled on both ends of the court against Colorado and could not fight back after the Buffaloes took a 63-50 lead with 7:04 left in regulation. Arizona shot 39.2% from the field & 27.8% from beyond the arc while allowing Colorado to shoot 48.4% from the field & 26.7% from beyond the arc. Leading the way for the Wildcats was Azuolas Tubelis who had 13 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks, & 1 steal.
On the season, Arizona is averaging 84.4 ppg on 48.9% shooting from the field. The Wildcats are averaging 7.8 three-pointers per game on 34.4% shooting from beyond the arc. Offensively, Arizona has been led by Bennedict Mathurin (17.1 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.0 spg), Azuolas Tubelis (15.4 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 2.4 apg), Christian Koloko (11.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.3 apg), & Kerr Kriisa (10.2 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 5.0 apg).
Defensively, Arizona is allowing their opponents to average 66.7 ppg on 37.8% shooting from the field. The Wildcats have a rebound margin of 8.9 and a turnover margin of -0.5.
The 16th ranked USC Trojans won their 6th straight game and improved to 25-4 on the season after defeating the Oregon Ducks, 70-69, this past Saturday. USC was solid defensively on the road against Oregon and was able to secure the victory after Drew Peterson hit a game-winning three-pointer for the Trojans with just 11.5 seconds left in regulation. USC shot 44.1% from the field & 50.0% from beyond the arc while holding Oregon to shoot 38.7% from the field & 26.1% from beyond the arc. Leading the way for the Trojans was Drew Petersen who had 20 points, 8 rebounds, & 2 assists.
On the season, USC is averaging 73.5 ppg on 45.6% shooting from the field. The Trojans are averaging 6.8 three-pointers per game on 35.6% from beyond the arc. Offensively, USC has been led by Isaiah Mobley (14.6 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.0 bpg), Drew Petersen (12.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 3.3 apg), Boogie Ellis (12.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.6 apg), & Chevez Goodwin (11.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg).
Defensively, USC is holding their opponents to an average of 64.8 ppg on 38.1% shooting from the field. The Trojans have a rebound margin of 6.4 and a turnover margin of -1.1.
The Wildcats are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games vs USC and just 2-6 ATS in their last 8 March games. The Trojans are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games, however, are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games as an underdog.
Arizona has been outstanding on both ends of the court this season as the Wildcats come into this game ranked 3rd in scoring offense, 10th in FG%, 103rd in scoring defense, & 4th in defensive FG%. USC has also been solid on both ends of the court, ranking 120th in scoring offense, 51st in scoring defense, & 6th in defensive FG%.
Arizona struggled in the 2nd half against Colorado, however, make no mistake this is a very solid basketball team that has been impressive throughout the season with wins over Illinois, UCA, & Michigan. USC has been solid as of late which includes a 67-64 win over UCLA, however, this is still a team that has struggled offensive at times this season as we saw in losses to Stanford & Oregon. USC is 13-2 at home this season, however, Arizona was able to defeat USC by a 72-63 margin earlier this season and as I think the Wildcats bounce back with a strong performance on both ends of the court, I’m taking Arizona to cover this mid-range road spread. Good Luck!
