The Wisconsin Badgers (14-3) travel to face off against the USC Trojans (11-6) on Saturday, January 18th. This game will be played at Galen Center in Los Angeles and televised on BTN. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Tip-off is set for 3:00 ET.
Wisconsin Badgers vs USC Trojans
The Badgers Are Coming Off A Win
Wisconsin Badgers Recent Game/Games
Wisconsin improved to 14-3 on the season with a 70-68 win over Ohio State on Tuesday. Playing at home, the Badgers were -6.5 favorites but didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points were 138, falling short of the 149.5 O/U line.
Wisconsin looked dominant early, leading 37-20 at halftime. However, they allowed 48 points in the 2nd half while scoring 33, making the game closer than expected.
The Trojans Are Coming Off A Win
USC Trojans Recent Game/Games
USC improved to 11-6 on the season with a 99-89 home win over Iowa on Tuesday. The Trojans, who were favored by three points, covered the spread.
USC led 48-32 at halftime but allowed 57 points in the second half. They scored 51 points after the break, pushing the total points well over the 161.5 O/U line.
Badgers Offense Breakdown
Wisconsin struggled from beyond the arc in their last game, hitting just 5 of 22 threes for a 22.7% shooting percentage. Overall, they shot 41.7% from the field, with an effective field goal percentage of 45.8%. Inside the arc, they were much more efficient, connecting on 57.7% of their two-point attempts.
At the free-throw line, the Badgers were nearly automatic, making 25 of 28 attempts for an 89.3% success rate. Bruce Thornton led the team with 21 points, while John Tonje added 17. Wisconsin finished with just 6 assists and 6 offensive rebounds in the game.
Trojans Offense Breakdown
USC’s offense was on fire in their last game, putting up 99 points with a field goal percentage of 64.9% and an effective field goal percentage of 73.7%. They hit 66.7% of their threes, going 10-for-15 from deep, and shot 64.3% on two-point attempts.
The Trojans dished out 28 assists, and Desmond Claude led the way with 25 points and 9 assists. Saint Thomas added 24 points on 9-of-10 shooting, and Owen Freeman contributed 23 points, hitting 11 of his 14 shots.
Badgers Team Defense
Despite giving up 68 points, Wisconsin’s defense held their opponent to 41% shooting from the field, with the other team making 20 of their 48 attempts. The Badgers struggled to contain two-point shots, as their opponent converted 15 of 26 attempts, shooting 57% from inside the arc.
From three-point range, Wisconsin’s defense was more effective, limiting their opponent to just 5 made threes on 22 attempts, a 22% shooting rate. However, the other team capitalized on their trips to the free-throw line, hitting 25 of 28 free throws for an 89% success rate. Wisconsin allowed 6 offensive rebounds in the game.
Trojans Team Defense
Wisconsin’s defense gave up 68 points in their last game, with their opponents shooting 41% from the field. The Badgers allowed 57% shooting on two-point attempts, as their opponents went 15/26 inside the arc.
From three-point range, Wisconsin held their opponents to 5/22 shooting, or 22%. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 28 times, where they made 25, hitting 89% of their free throws. Wisconsin gave up 6 offensive rebounds.
Badgers vs Trojans Trends
- Although Wisconsin has a straight up record of 4-6 in their last ten road games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 6-4. The team averaged 77 points per game in these games.
- In their last five games at home, the Trojans have a straight up record of 2-3 while going 2-3 vs the spread. The team’s offense averaged 71 points per game in these contests.
- Going back to their previous three games as the underdog, USC has an ATS mark of 1-2 while going 1-2 straight up.
- Wisconsin has done well both straight up and vs the spread when favored to win the game, going 3-0 SU and 3-0 ATS in their last three games.
Badgers vs Trojans Prediction
As the underdogs with a spread of +2.5, we recommend going with the Trojans on the point spread. We not only see them covering the spread but also have a strong likelihood of winning this one outright, especially if you’re seeking a higher payout on the moneyline.
Regarding the over/under, the current line is set at 150.5, and our model predicts the Badgers and Trojans to score a combined 146 points. We recommend betting on the under.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:January 18, 2025 USC Trojans, Wisconsin Badgers