Auburn basketball enters deep waters on Sunday, December 18 as they take on USC in the first of two Pac-12 conference clashes — the second being a Wednesday, December 21 matchup against Washington.
Bruce Pearl’s Tigers could be without Wendell Green Jr., who suffered an ankle injury this past Wednesday against Georgia State in a 72-64 win at the Neville Arena. In his place, should he not be deemed ready to go, Tre Donaldson and Chance Westry could get additional minutes.
USC is strongest where AU is weakest: in the backcourt. Boogie Ellis, the Trojans’ six-foot-three floor general, is the team’s leading scorer and Reese Waters is USC’s sixth-man answer to K.D. Johnson.
With that said, Drew Peterson, a six-foot-nine wing who averages 14 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, will be the player to stop. Peterson has scored in double digits all but three games this season.
Auburn basketball will be playing its second Power conference opponent Sunday after besting Northwestern in the Cancun Challenge during Feast Week. Can they fend off the 8-3 Trojans on their home floor? Or will USC beat the No. 19 team in the country as a slight underdog? Fly War Eagle has your odds and a prediction for the ESPN-televised matchup (All lines courtesy of WynnBET Sportsbook):
USC vs. Auburn basketball Odds, Spread and Total
Spread:
Auburn: -1 (-110)
USC: +1 (-110)
Moneyline:
Auburn: -115
USC: -105
Total: 140.5 (Over -110/Under -110)
USC vs. Auburn Prediction
It’s very difficult to forecast an Auburn basketball win at this moment due to Wendell Green Jr.’s health uncertainty and the general lack of offensive cohesion AU has had — oftentimes devolving to hero ball as the other four players watch.
USC has been prone to off-nights offensively themselves, setting up a potentially easy cash-in on the under for the points total.
Prediction: 140.5u (-110)
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.