Michigan State Spartans vs USC Trojans Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Michigan State vs USC NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Los Angeles.

Michigan State vs USC Prediction

Looking to win big? The Spartans and Trojans face off at 4:30 ET on PEAC. The Trojans are hosting the game at Galen Center in Los Angeles, CA. Michigan State is favored by -5.5 in this Big Ten conference matchup the against USC. The over/under for the game is set at 148.5 points.

Michigan State vs. USC Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Michigan State Spartans at USC Trojans
Where: Los Angeles at Galen Center
Date: Saturday, February 1st
Betting Odds MST -5.5, MST -239 | USC +190 O/U 148.5

Spartans Preview: Do the Spartans Have a Shot at a Win at Los Angeles?

Michigan State Spartans Recent Game/Games

Michigan State improved to 18-2 on the season with a 73-51 win over Minnesota on Tuesday. The Spartans, who were -14.5 point favorites, covered the spread. The game’s total points of 124 fell short of the 139.5 O/U line.

Michigan State dominated the first half, leading 36-16 at the break. While they scored 37 points in the second half, they allowed Minnesota to score 35, a significant increase from the first half.

Spartans Offense Breakdown

Michigan State put up 73 points in their last game, shooting 44.6% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 51.8%. They hit 54.8% of their two-point attempts, while connecting on 32% from beyond the arc, making 8 of 25 three-point shots.

The Spartans also shot 75% from the free-throw line, going 15 for 20, and grabbed 13 offensive rebounds. Dawson Garcia led the way with 21 points on 9 of 16 shooting, while Tre Holloman added 12 points, hitting 4 of 7 from three-point range.

Spartans Team Defense

Michigan State's defense held their opponent to 51 points, despite allowing them to shoot 44% from the field. The Spartans gave up 17 two-point baskets on 31 attempts, with their opponent shooting 54% from inside the arc.

From three-point range, Michigan State's opponent shot 32%, making 8 of their 25 attempts. The Spartans also sent them to the free-throw line 20 times, where they converted 15 free throws, shooting 75%. Michigan State allowed 13 offensive rebounds.

Trojans Preview: Is a Home Win Possible for the Trojans?

USC’s season record dropped to 12-8 after an 82-76 loss to UCLA on Monday. The Trojans were +1 point underdogs at home and failed to cover the spread.

USC trailed 42-37 at halftime and couldn’t close the gap in the 2nd half, being outscored 40-39. The game’s total points of 158 went over the O/U line of 138.5.

Trojans Offense Breakdown

USC's offense put up 76 points in their last game, shooting 49.1% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 58.2%, thanks in part to hitting 66.7% of their two-point attempts, going 16-for-24 inside the arc. From three-point range, they connected on 11 of 31 attempts, shooting 35.5%.

The Trojans struggled at the free-throw line, hitting just 57.9% of their attempts, going 11-for-19. They recorded 17 assists, with Saint Thomas, Desmond Claude, and Dylan Andrews each dishing out 6. Rashaun Agee led the team with 21 points, shooting 66.7% from the field, though he missed all 4 of his three-point attempts.

Trojans Team Defense

Despite USC's defensive struggles, they managed to put up 82 points in their last game. The Trojans shot 49% from the field, hitting 27 of their 55 attempts. Inside the arc, they were particularly effective, converting 66% of their two-point shots (16/24).

From three-point range, USC went 11/31, good for 35%. They also got to the free-throw line 19 times but only made 11 of those attempts, shooting 57% from the stripe. The Trojans gave up 9 offensive rebounds in the game.

Spartans vs Trojans Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

The Spartans are 4-1 ATS in their last road games and 5-0 straight-up.
Across their ten previous home games, USC has an ATS mark of 7-3. Their straight up record in these matchups was 6-4 while averaging 73 points per game.
Going back to their previous five games as the underdog, USC has an ATS mark of 2-3 while going 2-3 straight up.
Michigan State has done well both straight up and vs the spread when favored to win the game, going 5-0 SU and 5-0 ATS in their last five games.