Providence and USC do battle Wednesday in what is likely the most exciting First Four matchup of the NCAAB tournament. The line opened tight but saw Providence as a small underdog. If you can get the Friars as a dog, you may want to do it with the team going 8-1 ATS in its past nine games being spotted points.
- The total has gone UNDER in USC's last 4 games.
- USC is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games as favorite.
- Providence is 4-0 SU and ATS in its last 4 games as an underdog of 1.0 or less.
Things were not looking good for Providence at the start of the conference schedule but the Friars won their final six regular-season games to find themselves in the Madness. The big difference maker has been Providence’s consistent shooting effort, as the team was wildly hot and cold from the field during the first two-thirds of the Big East schedule. Forward Emmitt Holt has been shooting well, as the junior shot 56.5 percent from the floor during the winning streak.
USC has a tendency to play tight games, which could almost certainly come back to bite the Trojans. They have an average scoring margin on the season of plus-5.5 points but that number is inflated from their non-conference schedule. Jordan McLaughlin has been USC’s most consistent offensive player lately with the junior averaging 16.8 points and 7.8 assists in the past four outings.
USC Trojans vs Providence Friars Matchup
Team Betting Records & Power Rankings
The USC Trojans will try to spoil to the party and cover the point spread on Wednesday; they are 16-16 ATS against the betting line this season, while the Providence Friars are 20-12 ATS. USC Trojans are 15-17 on betting the total; Providence Friars are 14-17-1.
The Providence Friars sit at No. 111 in the current college hoops power poll here at Odds Shark, while the USC Trojans sit at No. 145 on the same chart.
Statistical Matchup
Offensively, the game matches up Providence's No. 197 nationally ranked offense (70.25 points per game) against a USC Trojans defense that sits as the No. 162 at 73.18 PPG. The Providence Friars have been averaging 44.67% from the field, less than the Trojans have managed so far this season (45.37% on average).
Recent Outings Betting Recap
The Trojans got 18 points from Jordan McLaughlin, but it was UCLA that prevailed in a 76-74 final on Thursday at T-Mobile Arena.
The Friars got 15 points from Kyron Cartwright, but it was Creighton that prevailed in a 70-58 final on Thursday at Madison Square Garden.
