USC (18-9) vs. UCLA (18-9)
February 24, 2026 11:00 pm EDT
The Line: UCLA -6.5 ; Over/Under: 148.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The USC Trojans and the UCLA Bruins meet Tuesday in college basketball action from Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles. Here’s a UCLA vs. USC prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best UCLA vs. USC pick.
USC Trojans Betting Preview
USC managed a 12-1 start over their first 13 outings this year. The Trojans would fall in five of the next eight games, however, losing to Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, Northwestern, and Iowa in that time. Following victories versus Rutgers, Indiana, and Penn State came a loss to Ohio State and another versus Illinois. In the first 26 games, that would give USC an 18-8 record this year.
On Saturday versus Oregon, the Trojans trailed by three points, 35-32, going into the locker room after the first half. USC hit a 38-36 run the rest of the way, but it wasn’t enough in a 71-70 loss as the game finished up. Tops in scoring was Chad Baker-Mazara with 21 points and four rebounds. Alijah Arenas added 13 points with five assists, two steals, and two rebounds in the losing effort, while Ezra Ausar doubled up on 15 points and 11 boards.
UCLA Bruins Betting Preview
Over on the UCLA side, they were able to win 10 of their first 13 outings this season but then lost to Iowa, Wisconsin, and Ohio State over the next five games. A 5-1 run came next with wins over Purdue, Northwestern, Oregon, Rutgers, and Washington. Since then it’s been a pair of consecutive losses to Michigan and Michigan State, giving the Bruins a 17-9 record in 26 games.
In game 27 on Saturday versus Illinois, the Bruins were down by seven points, 50-43, by halftime. UCLA roared back on a 43-36 run in the second half, however, and forced overtime. The Bruins scored nine points in the extra period, eventually powering out a 95-94 victory on their home court in the end. Eric Dailey led the team with 20 points and six boards and a pair of steals in the win.
Why the UCLA Bruins will win
- UCLA has won each of its last 12 games after coming off overtime.
- USC has lost four of its last five night games.
- UCLA has won the first half in 25 of its last 27 games at Edwin W. Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescon against non-AP-ranked opponents.
Why the USC Trojans will win
- USC has won each of its last seven Tuesday games.
- UCLA has lost the first half in each of its last four games.
UCLA vs USC Prediction
I’ll stick with UCLA. The Bruins are coming off a great win over Illinois this past weekend, shooting a nice 50.7 percent from the field with 84.2 percent (16-of-19) from the line and a 38-30 edge in the paint. UCLA added just five turnovers but did get outmuscled on the boards pretty badly, 40-23, in their upset victory. The Bruins are still just 3-3 in their last six games, but the most recent pair of losses both came versus ranked squads in some tough matchups.
As for USC, they took a tough loss at home versus Oregon on Saturday. The Trojans shot just 38.3 percent from the field with 11 turnovers but did pretty well on the boards (a 34-32 advantage) and in the paint (a 30-28 deficit) overall. USC is on a three-game skid right now, giving up 71 or more points in all three of those and 89 or more in two of them.
