The USC Trojans (18-7) look to extend their 10-game home winning streak in a matchup against the Colorado Buffaloes (19-7). Action gets underway at 11:00 pm ET on Wednesday, Feb. 17 and can be seen on ESU and ES3.
The Trojans are hoping to rebound after their 86-78 loss to Arizona on Sunday. Bennie Boatwright was the game’s leading scorer, finishing with 18 points. The Buffaloes are coming off an 81-80 win against Washington on Saturday. Wesley Gordon had a good performance and claimed his fifth double-double of the season, recording 17 points and 13 rebounds.
Colorado may control the offensive boards in this matchup, as they place 27th in the nation in OR% at 36.2%. On the other hand, USC ranks 284th in the nation on the defensive glass with a DR% of 68.0%.
The Trojans are looking to build on their records of 18-7 Straight Up (SU) and 16-9 Against The Spread (ATS). The Trojans come into the game with the 13th-ranked scoring offense in the nation, averaging 83.1 points per game. The Trojans are one of the best in Division I in terms of field-goal percentage, shooting an impressive .386 from beyond the arc. The Trojans have really locked down opponents on the defensive end, ranking 41st in the country with a .401 opponent field-goal percentage. The Trojans are the eighth-best team in the country at blocking shots, averaging 5.8 blocks per game.
On the other side, the Buffaloes head into the game with records of 13-10 ATS and 19-7 SU. The Buffaloes are shooting lights out from the foul line so far, with a .735 free throw percentage that ranks 49th in Division I. The Buffaloes have controlled the offensive glass with an average of 13.4 offensive rebounds per game, 29th in the country. The Buffaloes average 70.8 points allowed per game, but have damaged those numbers in the past 10 games, allowing 79.5 points per game during that span. When it comes to defending the rim, the Buffaloes are one of the best in the nation with an average of 5.2 blocks per game.
These conference foes will be facing off in their first head-to-head contest of the season. When they last met the Buffaloes were winners, bumping their SU record over their most recent meetings to 7-0. Furthermore, with a 5-2 record, Colorado has the advantage ATS. Colorado had the advantage in three key areas (field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers) once over the last five matchups. USC has never had the edge in all three categories.
Predictions: SU Winner – USC, ATS Winner – USC
Notes
USC is one of the top-scoring teams in the nation, averaging 83.1 points per game (ranked 13th). Colorado, on the other hand, allows 70.8 points per game (ranked 126th).
USC is one of the top-scoring teams at home, averaging 85.6 points per game (ranked 15th). Colorado, on the other hand, allows 73.8 points per away game (ranked 122nd).
The USC Trojans rank 62nd for their offensive rating of 111.5. The Colorado Buffaloes have a defensive rating of 99.2 (ranked 92nd).
On average, USC has 74.5 possessions per game and scores 1.115 points on each possession. Colorado has both fewer possessions (71.1) and scores fewer points during those possessions (1.091).
The USC Trojans average an effective field goal percentage of 52.6% this season. The Colorado Buffaloes have a winning 4-2 record in games where opponents have an eFG% of 52.6% or greater.
USC ranks 57th in assists, registering 15.6 per game. Colorado performs worse at 127th with 14.1 assists per game.
USC, the eighth-ranked team in blocked shots, registers an average of 5.8 per game. Colorado ranks 28th with 5.2.
Colorado is one of the top defensive rebounding teams, ranking seventh. USC ranks 69th in offensive rebounding.
On average, USC makes 6.4 steals per game. Colorado has a dazzling 15-3 record when it gives up at least 6 steals.
