USC Basketball Odds: Trojans Open as Underdogs vs. UCLA

USC basketball is enjoying one their best season in over a decade, but the Trojans will face UCLA as underdogs on Wednesday.

The line for the game at Pauley Pavilion opened with the Bruins as the narrowest of favorites with a half-point advantage. That margin has since increased to two-points in favor of UCLA, according to the Vegas Insider consensus.

USC has assembled their best record since 2001 with a 14-3 mark on the season and the second-place spot in the Pac-12 standings. If they prevail over UCLA they will own their first 15-3 start since 1992.

The Trojans were briefly favored over No. 7 Arizona on Saturday before the line shifted the Wildcats. As it turned out, that early faith from the Vegas oddsmakers was warranted as the Trojans pulled off the upset at the Galen Center in quadruple overtime.

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The Bruins, who are 11-6 on the season, are also coming off of a successful weekend over the Arizona schools. They upset the Wildcats on Thursday before taking care of business versus Arizona State to log their ninth-straight home victory since dropping the opener against Monmouth.

It has been three years since the Trojans last beat UCLA in basketball. The two rivals have played six times on the hardwood since USC’s 2013 overtime victory. Their last meeting saw the Bruins knock the Trojans out of the conference tournament, 96-70.

USC basketball will be hoping to channel the mentality of Trojan football team which gained the upper hand on UCLA football in November after their own three-year losing streak to the Bruins.

Tip off for the rivalry game is 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday.