USC vs Indiana Odds, Picks, Predictions for Wednesday, January 8

USC vs Indiana Odds, Picks, Predictions for Wednesday, January 8 article feature image
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Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images. Pictured: Oumar Ballo (Indiana)

The USC Trojans take on the Indiana Hoosiers in Bloomington, IN. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network.

Indiana is favored by 6.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -278. The total is set at 149.5 points.

Here are my USC vs. Indiana predictions and college basketball picks for January 8, 2025.


USC vs Indiana Prediction

My Pick: Over 149.5 (Play to 152)

My USC vs Indiana best bet is on the over, with the best odds currently available at DraftKings. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.


USC vs Indiana Odds

USC Logo
Wednesday, Jan. 8
7 p.m. ET
Big Ten Network
Indiana Logo
USC Odds
SpreadTotalMoneyline
+6.5
-108
149.5
-110 / -110
+225
Indiana Odds
SpreadTotalMoneyline
-6.5
-112
149.5
-110 / -110
-278
Odds via DraftKings. Get up-to-the-minute NCAAB odds here.
DraftKings Logo
  • USC vs Indiana spread: Indiana -6.5
  • USC vs Indiana over/under: 149.5 points
  • USC vs Indiana moneyline: Indiana -278, USC +225
  • USC vs Indiana best bet: Over 149.5 (Play to 152)

Spread

Indiana is tempting. The Hoosiers have played well without Malik Reneau, and USC is taking its first long road trip of the season. However, I'm not playing the spread.

Moneyline

I have no play on the moneyline in this one.

Over/Under

IU's current construction is conducive to the over, and both the Hoosiers and the Trojans are willing to get up and down. I'm taking the over.

My Pick: Over 149.5 (Play to 152)

USC vs Indiana College Basketball Betting Preview

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USC Basketball

Don’t look now, but the Muss Bus might actually be trending up, despite a home loss to Michigan. The Trojans started the season on a sharp descent, tumbling from 56th in KenPom’s rankings to a nadir of 110th. Over the last five games, though, they have risen to 77th on the strength of a 4-1 against-the-spread run.

A starting lineup change may be directly responsible for that uptick. Eric Musselman inserted redshirt freshman Wesley Yates III into the opening group before the Washington win on Dec. 7, and he's played 25+ minutes in every game since.

Yates fits into the prevailing theme with Musselman’s roster construction: positional versatility. The Trojans roll out a deep rotation of 6-foot-4 to 6-foot-7 players who can all handle the ball and switch defensively.

Desmond Claude and Saint Thomas are the linchpins, two jumbo playmakers who are difficult matchups for opponents given their combinations of size and skill. The other lineup mainstay is Chibuzo Agbo, USC’s lone true long-range sniper.

Of course, in Big Ten play, USC will need real heft in the post. That’s where Josh Cohen and Rashaun Agee become vital, especially against Indiana’s intimidating frontcourt. Neither Trojan big man is a standout athlete, but both are physical and will battle relentlessly for positioning near the bucket.

Even without Matt Knowling (missed last game) and Terrance Williams II (missed last five games), USC has plenty of lineup options. Bouncy wing Kevin Patton Jr. could become an integral cog thanks to his defensive ability; he played 22 minutes against Oregon and 28 against Michigan.

Situationally, this is USC’s first trip away from the Pacific Time Zone and only the second time the Trojans have left California. The long travel could have a slight impact here.

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Indiana Basketball

Indiana’s splashy portal acquisitions undeniably had plenty of talent. Adding Myles Rice, Oumar Ballo and Luke Goode to a returning core of Trey Galloway, Mackenzie Mgbako and Reneau gave the Hoosiers a ton of size and strength intermixed with (hopefully) enough ball-handling and shooting.

The early returns, though, were shaky at best.

A recent surge in form has brought renewed optimism to the Hoosiers’ season. Indiana’s offense has looked sharp the past two outings, and an obvious reason permeates through any analysis: a far more logical lineup construction. Necessity is the mother of invention, as the saying goes.

An injury to Reneau forced Mike Woodson’s hands into more balanced lineups. Winning with two true bigs is possible – ask Florida, Tennessee, Michigan, Iowa State, etc. – but the fit alongside them has to make sense. Playing Mgbako at the 3 with Rice and Galloway at guard was just a little too clunky, leading to a cramped floor.

Without Reneau, the Hoosiers' offense has more spacing. Goode has earned more minutes, and Mgbako simply functions better as a floor-stretching 4 man. As a result, Ballo has been unleashed, racking up 21 points, 12.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game on 57% shooting from the floor now that he has more space to operate.

The crucial question is how IU will look when Reneau returns – but that's not an imminent issue. He likely will remain out for this game, meaning the Hoosiers will continue to lean on the Ballo-centric lineups with more spacing.

One additional underrated part of IU’s surge: a dip in minutes for Kanaan Carlyle. The Stanford transfer has been a disaster, shooting 29% from the floor (23% from 3). Per CBB Analytics, IU is 9.2 points worse per 100 possessions when he plays, the worst net rating of any primary rotation piece.

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USC vs. Indiana Betting Analysis

This matchup is massive for Agee and Cohen. If that duo can't remotely handle Ballo – the most likely scenario – then IU’s offense will continue humming.

Mgbako looks like a real weapon in his new role, and more driving lanes exist for Rice and Galloway.

Determining how much the first long road trip matters, if at all, is also a sneaky important part of the handicap. A team going 2,000 miles from sunny LA to sub-freezing temperatures in the Midwest is likely a bit of a rude awakening.

The only somewhat similar comparison so far this season is UCLA going to Nebraska; the Bruins lost by eight in a pick'em game.

I'm tempted by the Indiana side, as this version of the Hoosiers is simply more potent and logically constructed. The spot is also appealing. Instead, though, I’m eyeing the total.

Both teams could have issues stopping each other. Ballo could have a field day in the paint, and IU’s perimeter attack has looked so much better with the big man drawing major defensive attention.

On the other end, though, Ballo could be a target for USC’s overall team speed. Additionally, USC’s army of mismatch hunters should be able to pick on Goode and Mgbako while also forcing Ballo to defend in space.

Both teams are interested in an up-tempo game. Add that to the likely efficiency, and I'll bet the over up to 152.

I think we see some fireworks in Bloomington on Tuesday night.

About the Author
College hoops fanatic with a soft spot for the extra pass. Constantly seeking the hot hand.

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