Michigan Wolverines vs USC Trojans Matchup

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

Michigan vs USC Prediction

Betting on today's Wolverines and Trojans game? Catch the action at Galen Center in Los Angeles, CA, as the Trojans hosts this showdown at 8:00 ET on FOX. Michigan come into this Big Ten conference matchup as the -5.5 favorite. The over/under line currently sits at 151.5 points.

Michigan vs. USC Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Michigan Wolverines at USC Trojans
Where: Los Angeles at Galen Center
Date: Saturday, January 4th
Betting Odds MICH -5.5, MICH -215 | USC +173 O/U 151.5

Wolverines Preview: Can the Wolverines Live Up to the Hype on the Road?

Michigan improved to 10-3 on the season with a dominant 112-64 win over Western Kentucky on Sunday. The Wolverines, who were -21.5 favorites, easily covered the spread in this home matchup.

Michigan led 59-31 at halftime and continued their strong play in the second half, outscoring the Hilltoppers 53-33. The game’s total points reached 176, surpassing the O/U line of 159.5.

Wolverines Offense Breakdown

Michigan's offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 112 points and shooting 51.6% from the field. They connected on 19 of 40 threes, good for 47.5%, and finished with an effective field goal percentage of 65.6%. At the free-throw line, they hit 27 of 35 attempts, shooting 77.1%.

The Wolverines also dished out 21 assists and grabbed 14 offensive rebounds. Nimari Burnett and Vladislav Goldin each scored 17 points, with Burnett hitting 5 of 7 threes and Goldin going 7 of 8 from the field. Don McHenry led the team with 18 points, despite shooting just 37.5% overall and 33.3% from deep.

Wolverines Team Defense

Despite Michigan's defensive struggles, they managed to hold the opposing team to 64 points. However, they allowed them to shoot 51% from the field, with the team hitting 14 of their 24 two-point attempts at a 58% clip.

From beyond the arc, the opposing team shot 47%, making 19 of their 40 three-point attempts. They also went to the free-throw line 35 times, converting 27 of those for 77%. Michigan gave up 14 offensive rebounds in the game.

Trojans Preview: Can USC Grab a Win at Home?

USC Trojans Recent Game/Games

USC improved to 9-4 on the season with an 82-51 win over Southern on Sunday. The Trojans were -15.5 point favorites going into the game and covered the spread with the win.

USC led 41-27 at halftime and matched that output in the 2nd half while holding Southern to just 24 points. The total points for the game were 133, falling short of the 144.5 O/U line.

Trojans Offense Breakdown

USC put up 82 points in their last game, shooting 48% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 54%. They connected on 35.3% of their three-point attempts, hitting 6 of 17 from deep, while shooting 54.5% on two-pointers (18/33).

At the free-throw line, the Trojans made 28 of 35 attempts, good for 80%. They dished out 17 assists and grabbed 9 offensive rebounds. Chibuzo Agbo led the way with 18 points, hitting 4 of 8 from beyond the arc, while Josh Cohen added 17 points in just 14 minutes, shooting 4 of 5 from the field.

Trojans Team Defense

USC's defense gave up 51 points while allowing their opponent to shoot 48% from the field, with 24 made baskets on 50 attempts. Inside the arc, the Trojans allowed 18 two-point field goals on 33 attempts, a 54% shooting rate.

From three-point range, USC's defense conceded 6 made threes on 17 attempts, a 35% shooting percentage. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 35 times, where they converted 28 free throws, shooting 80%. USC allowed 9 offensive rebounds in the game.

Wolverines vs Trojans Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last five road games, Michigan has averaged 75 points per game while allowing 67 . The team's record in this stretch was 3-2 while going 3-2 vs. the spread.
Across their three previous home games, USC has an ATS mark of 1-2. Their straight up record in these matchups was 1-2 while averaging 69 points per game.
As the betting underdog, the Trojans have an ATS mark of just 1-4 in their last five games. USC posted a straight up mark of 1-4 in these matchups.
Through their last five matchups as the betting favorite, the Wolverines have a good straight up record, but their ATS mark is just 2-3.