Things are tight at the top of the Pac-12 standings, so perhaps things can get sorted out on Thursday when the No. 18 Colorado Buffaloes host the USC Trojans. At home, the Buffaloes are 8.5-point favorites with an over/under of 135 points.
The Buffs enter Thursday’s action tied with Oregon for first place in the Pac-12. However, there are four other teams in the league within one game of that spot. The good news is that Colorado has won four of its last five games to improve to 20-6 on the season and 9-4 in conference play.
Also, facing USC might be the toughest game the Buffaloes have left on their schedule, so a win would be huge for their conference championship hopes.
As for USC, they recently endured a three-game losing streak but have won back-to-back games to get back on track. At 19-7 overall, the Trojans look like a safe bet to make the NCAA Tournament.
But USC has a chance to add some resume-building wins down the stretch and significantly improve its seed for the Big Dance in addition to pushing for the Pac-12 regular-season title, as they are just one game behind Colorado at the top of the standings.
Big Boy Basketball
The USC frontcourt has as much size as any team in the Pac-12. Onyeka Okongwu, Nick Rakocvic, and Isaiah Mobley measure 6-9, 6-11, and 6-10 across the front line, giving the Trojans a rebounding advantage against most teams.
Okongwu is also one of the best freshmen in the conference this season, averaging 16 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks per game, as he often dominates on both ends of the court.
However, the key to the Trojans could be freshman point guard Ethan Anderson. While not yet a proven scorer, Anderson averages 4.5 assists per game, making him a key part of the USC offense.
When he’s on the floor and can provide a little extra scoring, the Trojans are capable of reaching another level because Okongwu and USC’s other top scorers are in a position to get easy buckets.
The Wright Way
For Colorado, the key also lies with the point guard position, which is handled by McKinley Wright IV. The junior is one of the most overlooked players in the Pac-12, averaging over 13 points and five assists per game.
At just 6-0, Wright is also averaging over five rebounds per game and pulled down 10 boards for a double-double in the team’s win over Oregon State over the weekend, showing that he can do it all.
The Buffaloes are also one of the best defensive teams the Pac-12 has to offer. They hold teams to just 62 points per game while allowing more than 70 points just five times in their 13 conference games this season.
While the Colorado offense can sputter at times, the Buffaloes can stay in games with their defense.
A Little Closer
Colorado dominated in a 78-57 win when these teams met earlier this season. But the Trojans are better than they showed in that game and will be excited to get a second crack. USC probably won’t win, but bet on the Trojans to beat the 8.5-point spread in a close game.
