The No. 22 USC Trojans (2-0) and Cal Golden Bears (2-1) meet Wednesday at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley, Cal. Tip time will be 11 p.m. ET (ESPN2). Let's analyze NCAA basketball odds around the USC vs. Cal odds and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions for the best bets.
USC defeated +6.5 Wichita State 93-86 Sunday in a neutral-site showcase event (Caesars Lake Tahoe Classic in Lake Tahoe, California). G Rodney Rice (32 points) and G Alijah Arenas (30 points) combined for 62 points, while the Trojans forced 20 turnovers. Southern Cal -- which returns Rice, Arenas and just 1 other player from 2025-26 -- has averaged 94.0 points across its first 2 games.
Cal was a +19.5 when it fell 86-68 to No. 10 Houston Sunday at the same event
in Lake Tahoe. The Golden Bears were outscored 50-24 in the paint. California knocked down 9 3-pointers in the loss; it has made 12.3 triples per game while shooting 44% from beyond the arc through its first 3 contests.
Cal defeated USC 71-66 in the most recent series meeting Nov. 17, 2024. The Trojans, though, are 8-2 across the last 10 meetings.
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USC at Cal odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 3 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): USC -350 (bet $300 to win $100) | Cal +280 (Bet $100 to win $280)
- Against the spread (ATS): USC -8.5 (-110) | Cal +8.5 (-110)
- Over/Under (O/U): Over 161.5 (-110) | Under 161.5 (-110)
USC at Cal picks and predictions
Prediction
USC 81, Cal 75
Moneyline
No interest; PASS.
Against the spread
USC was hurt by 3-pointers in its Wichita State win after perimeter defense was an issue down the stretch at the end of last season. The dialed-in-from-distance Bears -- straight-up and ATS winners in the last 2 series meetings -- should be able to do some damage in that department.
Don't expect the Trojans to pile up charity-toss looks like they did against the Shockers (42 free-throw attempts). And in that game, USC trailed at the half and was only up by 3 at the 4-minute mark.
Back the CAL +8.5 (-110).
Over/Under
Pace-wise, this matchup sets up for some above-average speed. But free throws, second-chance points and transition buckets? Not so much.
With an early-season contest and two squads with a lot of new faces, look for a contest in the 150s.
UNDER 161.5 (-110) is the value play.
Betting odds calculator
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This article originally appeared on Sportsbook Wire: USC Trojans at Cal Golden Bears odds, picks and predictions
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