The No. 25 USC Trojans (4-3) will be at home in Galen Center when they meet the Santa Clara Broncos (3-6). The games Over/Under (O/U) opened at 141 points with USC set as a 17-point favorite. Action starts at 10 p.m. ET on Thursday, December 14, 2017, and it can be seen on Pac-12 Network.
Santa Clara Broncos at USC Trojans Odds Preview
In the Broncos last contest, they lost a tough one against the Portland State Vikings, 87-84. Josip Vrankic put together a solid performance for Santa Clara, contributing 12 points and 14 rebounds. Portland State had a turnover percentage of 6.8 (better than their season average of 15.4). Santa Clara, on the other hand, had an offensive rebounding percentage of 32.3 (above their season average of 23.0).
The Trojans are trying to rebound after their 85-83 loss to the Oklahoma Sooners in their last outing. Elijah Stewart was USC’s high scorer with 23 points on 8-for-14 shooting. Oklahoma forced the Trojans into a turnover percentage of 18.9 (above their season average of 14.3). USC, meanwhile, had an offensive rebounding percentage of 44.4 (above their season average of 31.2).
The high-powered offense of USC will clash against the mid-tier defense of Santa Clara. Since the 2016-17 season, the Trojans rank 72nd in offensive efficiency, while the Broncos are 189th in defensive efficiency. The Trojans figure to have the advantage on that end of the court. Also, the Broncos rank 307th in free throw attempt (FTA) rate (0.196), while the Trojans rank 18th in opponents FTA rate (0.171).
In terms of the O/U total, these teams are complete opposites. Santa Clara games have finished over 66.7 percent of the time, while 66.7 percent of games including USC have gone under. The Trojans hold a substantial advantage in terms of straight up (SU) and against the spread (ATS) records. They are 4-3 SU and 4-3 ATS, while the Broncos are 3-6 SU and 1-5 ATS.
Santa Clara Broncos at USC Trojans Prediction
Predictions: SU Winner – USC, ATS Winner – Santa Clara, O/U – Under
Betting Notes (2016-Present):
The Broncos rank seventh in steals allowed per game (4.0) while the Trojans rank 61st (5.6).
- Santa Clara averages 14.5 assists per game, which ranks 108th in the nation. USC ranks 159th in assists allowed per game (14.1).
- USC ranks 21st in blocks per game (5.3) while Santa Clara ranks 189th (1.9).
- The Broncos rank 16th in three pointers allowed per game (17.3) while the Trojans rank 170th (22.8).
- USC ranks 134th in rebounds per game (36.4) while Santa Clara ranks 265th (29.8).
