The Tulane Green Wave take on the USC Trojans in the College Basketball Crown. Tip-off is set for 11 p.m. ET on FS1.
USC is favored by 8.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -375. The total is set at 155.5 points.
Here are my Tulane vs. USC predictions and college basketball picks for April 1, 2025.
Tulane vs USC Prediction
My Pick: Over 155.5 (Play to 156)
My Tulane vs USC best bet is on the over, with the best odds currently available at DraftKings. For all of your college basketball bets, find the best lines using our live NCAAB odds page.
Tulane vs USC Odds
| Tulane Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+8.5 -108 | 155.5 -105o / -115u | +295 |
| USC Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-8.5 -112 | 155.5 -105o / -115u | -375 |
- Tulane vs USC spread: USC -8.5
- Tulane vs USC over/under: 155.5 points
- Tulane vs USC moneyline: USC -375, Tulane +295
- Tulane vs USC best bet: Over 155.5 (Play to 156)
Spread
I'm passing on the spread.
Moneyline
I'm passing on the moneyline.
Over/Under
I like the over up to 156.
My Pick: Over 155.5 (Play to 156)
Tulane vs USC College Basketball Betting Preview
Ron Hunter’s matchup zone defense likely isn’t as effective without Kaleb Banks mucking things up and protecting the rim at the four — the junior forward is in the portal.
That’s a problem against USC, a borderline-elite zone offense (1.14 PPP, 92nd percentile, per Synergy) behind a bevy of versatile wing talent.
A few Trojans have hit the portal, but nobody that important (Kevin Patton Jr., Isaiah Elohim, Kallai Patton).
It’s too bad that Tulane won’t have Kam Williams, but he’s most effective as a 3-and-D wing type and doesn’t play as much in ball-screen creation, which is mainly where Tulane wants to work.
USC will switch one-through-five, but the Trojans are still a horrific ball-screen coverage defense that struggles against the dribble (.85 PPP allowed, 294th nationally, per Synergy) and the roll (1.20 PPP allowed, 338th nationally, per Synergy).
So, I expect both offenses to operate efficiently in the half court, which makes me lean toward the over.
I think the pace should be OK. USC runs at an above-average tempo (68 possessions per game, 122nd nationally, per KenPom), and while neither team works much in transition, both are efficient running the open floor, and both squads are brutal in transition defense.
