Southern Jaguars vs USC Trojans NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/22/24

The Jaguars and Trojans are set to face off at 4:00 ET on BTN. The Trojans will host the game at Galen Center in Los Angeles, CA. This non-conference matchup has an over/under of 144.5 points, and USC is favored by -17.5 vs. Southern.

SOUTHERN JAGUARS VS USC TROJANS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Southern Jaguars +17.5

This game will be played at Galen Center at 4:00 ET on Sunday, December 22nd.

WHY BET THE SOUTHERN JAGUARS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 78-70 in favor of the Trojans.
• Even though we have USC winning straight-up, we like Southern at +17.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 144.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 148 points.

Will Southern Come Through as Road Underdogs?

Southern Jaguars Recent Game/Games

Southern dropped to 2-6 on the season after an 89-73 road loss to Loyola Marymount on Friday. Entering the game as +6.5 underdogs, the Jaguars not only lost but also failed to cover the spread.

Southern found themselves in a deep hole early, trailing 53-28 at halftime. While they outscored Loyola Marymount 45-36 in the second half, it wasn’t enough for a comeback. The game’s total points of 162 exceeded the pre-game O/U line of 136.5.

In their last game, the Southern Jaguars put up 73 points, shooting 38.2% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 41.2%, and they struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 3 of 21 attempts for 14.3%. They connected on 48.9% of their two-point shots and went 18 of 26 from the free-throw line, shooting 69.2%.

On the offensive glass, Southern grabbed 19 rebounds and dished out 11 assists. Alex Merkviladze led the way with 24 points, shooting 63.6% overall and 85.7% from three-point range. Puoch Dobuol added 19 points and 10 rebounds, despite hitting just 1 of 6 from deep.

Southern’s defense struggled, allowing 89 points on 49% shooting. They gave up 16 threes, with the opponent hitting 55% from deep.

From the line, Southern’s opponent went 13/20 (65%). The Jaguars also allowed 13 offensive rebounds.

Can the Trojans Lock in a Home Win?

USC improved to 8-4 on the season with a 90-69 win over CSUN on Wednesday. The Trojans, who were -12 favorites, covered the spread with the victory.

After leading just 40-39 at halftime, USC clamped down defensively, allowing only 30 points in the second half while scoring 50. The game’s total points of 159 exceeded the O/U line of 151.5.

USC’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 90 points with a 46.9% shooting performance from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 59.2%, thanks in large part to their 63.2% shooting from beyond the arc, where they hit 12 of 19 attempts. At the free-throw line, they connected on 32 of 39 attempts, good for 82.1%.

Chibuzo Agbo led the way with 23 points, hitting 5 of 7 threes, while Desmond Claude added 21 points and 9 assists. PJ Fuller II and Keonte Jones each chipped in 17 points, with Fuller hitting 4 of 6 from deep. Saint Thomas also had a strong game, knocking down 3 of 4 threes and finishing with 16 points.

Despite USC’s defensive efforts, they allowed 69 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 46% from the field. USC managed to hold them to 36% shooting on two-pointers, as they went 11/30.

However, the Trojans struggled to contain the three-point shot, as the other team hit 12/19 from deep, a 63% clip. USC also sent them to the line 39 times, where they made 32 free throws, shooting 82%. The Trojans gave up 6 offensive rebounds.