UC Irvine at USC Trojans Betting Preview

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— Wednesday, December 15th UC Irvine Anteaters @ USC Trojans

There are some interesting games on the college basketball schedule for Tuesday night, including one set to take place in California. The USC Trojans host the UC Irvine Anteaters in what should be a pretty interesting matchup.

UC Irvine comes into Wednesday night with a record of 5-2, and the Anteaters look like a team that could make the NCAA Tournament this season. The Anteaters did suffer a loss to Fresno State in their most recent game, but it’s been a strong start to the season.

USC has moved into the Top 10 after rolling out to a perfect 10-0 start to the season. The Trojans were one of the surprise teams in the 2021 NCAA Tournament, and they have carried that momentum into this season.

The USC Trojans are 10.5-point favorites over the UC Irvine Anteaters on Wednesday night.

UC Irvine Can Defend

UC Irvine does not have as much talent as the USC Trojans, but there is a path for them to stay in this game. The Anteaters are allowing just 55 points per game this season, and that defense should travel for this matchup.

Scoring hasn’t always come easy for UC Irvine, as they are scoring just 71 points per game. The Anteaters managed to score just 55 points in their most recent loss to Fresno State, and the offense needs to show up for this matchup.

Collin Welp leads the Anteaters with 12.6 points and 2.1 assists per game, and the offense typically goes through him. Austin Johnson is averaging 7.6 rebounds per game for UC Irvine, and his size will play a key role in this matchup.

Trojans Tough to Stop

The USC Trojans come into this game scoring close to 78 points per night, and they have the ability to be explosive. USC gets the job done in the paint, and they are shooting nearly 50 percent from the field as a team.

Isaiah Mobley leads the Trojans with 14.7 points and 9.8 assists per game, and few teams are able to match his size and athleticism. Mobley is playing without his brother this season, but he is showing that he can carry a team.

USC has also been solid on the defensive end of the floor, but they will be trying to win this game with their massive size advantage.

Anteaters Fall Short in Upset Attempt

The UC Irvine defense has been tremendous all season long, and that is going to play a key role in this game. The Anteaters are going to make the Trojans work hard to score points in this game, and USC hasn’t had to do that much this season.

Eventually, the size and talent of USC is going to take over this game, but it’s not going to come as easy as one might think. The Trojans are going to survive this game at close, but you can expect some nervous and anxious moments for the home team.

Take the 10 points and bet on the UC Irvine Anteaters as they keep this game close, but it will be USC that will come away with the win.

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