College Basketball Odds, Pick for USC vs Gonzaga

We have a prizefighter on our hands at the MGM Grand Garden Arena as the Gonzaga Bulldogs are set to square off with the USC Trojans.

The Bulldogs have been tested early on this season, as they battled some of the nation's best in the Maui Invitational. Both the wins and the losses may aid this team against the Trojans.

Speaking of the Trojans, they come into this matchup 5-2 on the season, but their lone losses came against UC Irvine and Oklahoma. Now faced with a more talented opponent in front of them, can they rise to the occasion?

Last season, USC's offense was made up of two players, but this season, Boogie Ellis has some reinforcements. While Ellis is still the club's leading scorer, stud freshman Isaiah Collier and fellow guard Kobe Johnson are both averaging double figures.

The guard-dominant team has made it a habit of getting to the free throw stripe, as the trio above loves to drive and generate offense from that. However, it will be interesting to see if they can penetrate a Gonzaga defense that has excelled, keeping teams on the perimeter and contesting those low-percentage looks consistently.

Gonzaga's length also figures to slow down the Trojans' ball movement, as the Bulldogs are 36th in assist-to-field goals made ratio allowed.

As I alluded to in the open, the Trojans haven't had the schedule the Bulldogs have, and it may show on this end of the floor.

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The Zags are a team that will play to their strengths, and they've found plenty of success in the paint this season. Close 2s make up over 37% of Gonzaga's offense, and it has converted precisely two-thirds of its shots from that range.

The two guys responsible for that efficiency are Braden Huff and Graham Ike. The Gonzaga big men lead the team in usage and effective field goal percentage, and will be significant factors in this matchup offensively.

However, their contributions to the scoreboard may be limited in this one, as USC has the size to contend with them. The Trojans are the country's fourth-tallest team, and Joshua Morgan is an elite rim protector, as he holds the ninth-best block rate in the country.

If the Zags are forced to take shots from outside the paint, it may not bode well for them, as they're 251st in 3-point percentage and are shooting just 30% from mid-range.

So, while this is a marquee matchup, it will also be a game where we learn a lot about USC and if its numbers can translate against elite competition.

For my money, they should translate well here, as their size can give the Gonzaga big men issues on both ends. However, the Zags are a solid defensive team in their own right and have plenty of length to contend with the Trojans' talented guards.

The best way to bet this matchup is to take the under.

Pick: Under 150.5 (Play to 147.5)

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