USC Trojans AT Washington State Cougars
Mar 3, 2011 at 10 PM EST
Opening Line:  Wash -4
Current Line:  Wash -3.5
Opening Total: 129
Current Total:  128.5
Opening Moneyline:  Was -175 / USC +155
Current Moneyline:  Was -170 / USC +150

Tonight’s game brings together the 17-12 USC Trojans against the 18-10 Washington State Cougars.  USC is 9-7 in Pac-10 play, good for fourth in the conference, while Washington State is 8-8 in Pac-10 play, ranking them sixth in the conference.

USC has won their last 4 games, with victories over California, Stanford, #10 ranked Arizona, and Arizona State University.  They have won the 4 games by an average of 10.8 points per game, which has improved their point differential to +4.5, as they score 66.7 a game and give up 62.2.  Washington State has a better win differential of 7.0, scoring 73.3 a game and giving up 66.3.  Washington State’s 73.3 points per game rank them 68th in the nation in scoring and their 45.9% field goal percentage is 65th best in the nation.  The combinative total of the teams’ offensive output is 140, well over the total set by college basketball oddsmakers.

Some betting trends:

USC is 2-4-1 ATS in their last 7 games on the road and 4-10 SU in their last 14 games on the road.  The total has gone OVER in 5 of USC’s last 7 games on the road and USC is 2-6 SU in their last 8 road games against Washington State.

Washington State is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games and the total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington State’s last 5 games.  Washington State is 12-4 SU in their last 16 games at home and Washington State is 11-5 SU in their last 16 games against USC.  The total has gone UNDER In 4 of Washington State’s last 5 games against USC and Washington State is 6-2 SU in their last 8 games at home against USC.

USC has a 7 man rotation in which 5 of the 7 average near 10 points a game or higher.  The 6’10” junior forward Nikola Vucevic leads the way for USC in scoring with 17.5 points per game.  He also leads the team in rebounding with 10.3 rebounds per game.  He has decent range on his shot that extends beyond the three point line where he shoots 38% (27 of 71).  He has had 20 double doubles in the 29 USC games, and he has had double doubles in all 6 of the last 6 games, 5 of which were USC wins.  His frontcourt mate Alex Stepheson makes a big contribution too.  The 6’10” senior forward averages near a double double with 10 points per game and 8.8 rebounds per game.  He has had 10 double doubles and USC has won 9 of those games, so his success is vital to the success of the Trojans.

Washington State is led by 6’6″ junior guard Klay Thompson, who averages 21.4 points per game, 5.1 rebounds per game, 4.0 assists per game while jacking up a lot of threes (202) and hitting a good number as well (41.6%, 84 total).  The gunner has scored in double figres in all but 2 Washington State games and has scored 20 or more 17 times.  He is averaging 28 points per game over his last 3 games, but Washington State has dropped 2 of those contests.  Washington State’s second leading scorer, Faisal Aden, barely scores half as much as Thompson, with 12.6 points per game and only one other Washington State starter outside Thompson gets over 30 minutes a game, 6’1″ sophomore point guard Reggie Moore.  Moore makes solid contributions in his 34 minutes a game, putting up 9.8 points per game, 3.6 assists, and 3.2 rebounds per game.  In the 7 games in which he has recorded 5 assists or more, Washington State has won 6 of them.

Tonight’s game should be a good one, but USC must keep Thompson in check.  When Thompson gets cooking from three, Washington State is very difficult to beat.