The USC Trojans take on the San Diego Toreros in San Diego, CA. Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
USC is favored by -16.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -1800. The total set at 161.5 points.
Here’s my USC vs. San Diego prediction and college basketball picks for December 9, 2025.
USC vs San Diego Prediction
My Pick: USC -16.5 (Play to -18)
My USC vs San Diego best bet is on the Trojans to cover the spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
USC vs. San Diego Odds
| USC Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-16.5 -105 | 161.5 -115o / -105u | -1800 |
| San Diego Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+16.5 -115 | 161.5 -115o / -105u | +1000 |
- USC vs San Diego spread: USC -16.5
- USC vs San Diego over/under: 161.5 points
- USC vs San Diego moneyline: USC -1800, San Diego +1000
USC vs San Diego College Basketball Betting Preview
USC Basketball
USC started unranked and after a short stint in the top 25, a home loss to Washington knocked it back out.
The Trojans are a fast-paced team, averaging just 16.3 seconds per offensive possession. They rank 81st in adjusted tempo.
They also do a great job at creating contact in the lane and rank 10th in free throws attempted per game. They don’t shoot a lot of 3s, but they're highly efficient, knocking down a 37.8% clip from extended range.
They do have a pair of 20-point scorers, but the Trojans were without Rodney Rice last time out and could be without the Maryland transfer again on Tuesday.
That being said, the Trojans will still have two players averaging 15+ points per game, and San Diego doesn’t have the scoring to match that.
San Diego Basketball
San Diego actually hosts the in-state rival, but it'll have trouble ending its four-game losing streak. It's lost four straight, two of which were by at least 14 points.
The Toreros lost four, but they're well balanced, with Ty-Laur Johnson, Toneari Lane and Juanse Gorosito averaging at least 10.6 points per game.
Their biggest issue has been their inability to rebound the basketball. They’ve especially struggled allowing teams to grab offensive boards, as they rank 362nd in opponent offensive rebounding.
This San Diego team isn't shy about shooting the 3-ball, and that's because it finds itself down early. The Toreros rank in the top third of college basketball in 3-point attempts, but they're in the bottom third in 3-point field goal percentage.
USC vs. San Diego Betting Analysis
This is going to be a lot of points to cover, as we're asking the Trojans to cover 16.5 points. We're already seeing sharp action come in here, ballooning this line to 17 in some spots.
Ultimately, I don’t expect San Diego to keep pace. Its best chance to cover this spread will be at the free-throw line, but I don’t expect it to get many opportunities.
Expect USC, albeit without one of its best players, to dictate the pace and flow of this game.
Even in a road environment, I would lay up to -18 points.
My Pick: USC -16.5 (Play to -18)
