New Mexico Lobos vs USC Trojans Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our USC vs New Mexico NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Palm Springs.

USC vs New Mexico Prediction

Looking to win big? The Trojans and Lobos face off at 11:59 ET on truT. The Lobos are hosting the game at Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, CA. The over/under for this non-conference contest is set at 155 points, with New Mexico being favored by -6 over USC.

USC vs. New Mexico Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: USC Trojans at New Mexico Lobos
Where: Palm Springs at Acrisure Arena
Date: Friday, November 29th
Betting Odds NMX -6, USC +190 | NMX -240 O/U 155

Trojans Preview: Will the Trojans Secure A Victory as Road Underdogs?

USC Trojans Recent Game/Games

USC’s season took a hit with a 71-36 loss to Saint Mary’s on Thursday. The Trojans were +5 underdogs going in, but they didn’t cover the spread. The game’s combined points were 107, falling short of the 141.5 O/U line.

USC trailed 32-21 at halftime and struggled even more in the 2nd half, scoring just 15 points while allowing 39.

Trojans Offense Breakdown

USC's offensive struggles were evident in their last game, as they managed just 36 points on 26% shooting from the field. They went 0-for-12 from beyond the arc, resulting in an effective field goal percentage of 26%.

Jordan Ross led the Trojans with 15 points and 4 assists, hitting 6 of his 9 shots. Josh Cohen contributed 12 points, shooting 55.6% from the field, while Paulius Murauskas added 11 points and 5 rebounds.

Trojans Team Defense

USC’s defense was dominant, holding their opponent to just 71 points on 26% shooting from the field. They limited two-point attempts to 34% (13/38) and completely shut down the three-point line, where their opponent went 0/12.

Even with 12 trips to the free-throw line, the opposition only managed to hit 10, finishing at 83% from the stripe. USC also controlled the boards, allowing just 4 offensive rebounds.

Lobos Preview: Will the New Mexico Defense Show Up at Home?

New Mexico Lobos Recent Game/Games

The Lobos fell to Arizona State 85-82 on Thursday, November 28th. New Mexico, who were -4 favorites going into the game, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 167, exceeding the O/U line of 158.5.

New Mexico led 37-34 at halftime but allowed 51 points in the 2nd half while scoring 45 of their own. The Lobos will need to tighten up defensively to avoid similar outcomes in future games.

Lobos Offense Breakdown

New Mexico's offense put up 82 points in their last game, despite shooting just 38.1% from the field and 38.3% on two-point attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 42.9%, but they connected on 37.5% of their threes, hitting 6 of 16 from beyond the arc.

The Lobos were strong from the free-throw line, making 28 of 32 attempts for an 87.5% rate. They also grabbed 14 offensive rebounds and dished out 10 assists. Donovan Dent led the way with 30 points and 7 assists, while Mustapha Amzil added 28 points and 8 rebounds.

Lobos Team Defense

New Mexico's defense struggled, giving up 85 points on 47% shooting from the field. The Lobos allowed 26 made field goals on 55 attempts.

From beyond the arc, the Lobos gave up 9 threes on 19 attempts, with the opposing team shooting 47%. New Mexico also sent them to the line 32 times, where they converted 24 free throws.

Trojans vs Lobos Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

USC has played well in their previous three road games, going 2-1 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 70 points per game while allowing 73. The team also performed well vs the spread at 2-1.
Across their ten previous home games, New Mexico has an ATS mark of 5-5. Their straight up record in these matchups was 4-6 while averaging 76 points per game.
Spanning across their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Trojans have gone 4-6 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 3-7.
Against the spread, the Lobos have put together 1-2 in their last three games as the betting favorite. In these same games, they went 2-1 straight up.