Drake Survives Play-In Game to Face USC on Saturday

The No. 6 USC Trojans (22-7 SU, 16-13 ATS) tip off against the No. 11 Drake Bulldogs (26-4 SU, 21-7 ATS) in a West Region matchup Saturday in Indianapolis. Drake looks to continue its fairytale run against a Trojans squad that has covered only one of its last six contests.

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

Oddsmakers opened USC as just a 6.5-point favorite against Drake, which completed an epic comeback against Wichita State in their First Four contest Thursday night. The total for this matchup opened at 139.

USC News & Notes

The Trojans enter the NCAA Tournament coming off a 72-70 loss to Colorado in the Pac-12 Tournament semifinals as the No. 2 seed. USC ranks in the top 25 in the country in offensive rebounding and rated 13th by holding opponents below 40 percent shooting from the field.

USC is playing in its third March Madness tourney in Andy Enfield’s eight seasons on the bench. The team is led by NBA prospect Evan Mobley, who averages 16.8 points and 8.6 rebounds per contest.

Drake News & Notes

The Bulldogs finished the regular season with the best winning percentage in program history as they rolled through the Missouri Valley Conference.

Down 12 points to Wichita State on Thursday, Drake mounted a stirring comeback and then held on to edge the Shockers 53-52 and play their way into the 64-team field.

Sophomore guard Joseph Yesufu, who averages a shade over 12 points per game, scored 21 against Wichita State and had some crucial buckets down the stretch to lift the Bulldogs to victory.

Betting Pick: Drake +6.5

Drake shook off the first-half jitters, rallying to beat the Shockers by one point while playing strong team basketball at both ends of the floor. This is a disciplined squad that should stay within the number on Saturday. Look for Drake to build off its comeback performance and battle USC to the final buzzer.