The USC Trojans take on the Northwestern Wildcats in Evanston, Illinois. Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network.
Northwestern is favored by 1.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -125. The over/under is set at 140 points.
Here are my USC vs. Northwestern predictions and college basketball picks for February 4, 2025.
USC vs Northwestern Prediction
My Pick: USC ML +105
My USC vs Northwestern best bet is on the Trojans to win outright, 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 Northwestern Odds
| USC Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -112 | 140 -112 / -108 | +105 |
| Northwestern Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -108 | 140 -112 / -108 | -125 |
- USC vs Northwestern spread: Northwestern -1.5
- USC vs Northwestern over/under: 140 points
- USC vs Northwestern moneyline: Northwestern -125 , USC +105
- USC vs Northwestern best bet: USC ML +105
Spread
While I see USC covering as a short underdog, I'm betting the Trojans on the moneyline instead of betting them to cover the spread.
Moneyline
My best bet for this Big Ten battle is on USC moneyline. The Trojans are trending up as their team comes together, while the Wildcats have recently received some tough injury news and are trending in the wrong direction.
Over/Under
I'm staying away from the total in this game.
My Pick: USC ML +102
USC vs Northwestern College Basketball Betting Preview
Winning consistently in Evanston is a herculean task. Welsh-Ryan Arena is both small and ancient, opening in 1952 and seating 7,039.
Northwestern’s high academic standards also make it difficult to assemble a team in the transfer portal era. So, while Big Ten rivals like Illinois, Indiana and Michigan, replenish their rosters with top-tier transfers, one of Northwestern’s portal finds this past cycle was the studious Keenan Fitzmorris.
The 7-footer made academic honor rolls at both Stanford and Stony Brook but averages just 1.5 points per game for the Wildcats.
Chris Collins has overcome these challenges, which have typically included a short bench in recent years. Last spring, he became the first Northwestern head coach to post back-to-back winning seasons in Big Ten play since William Rohr accomplished the feat during the Eisenhower administration.
But Collins’ roster limitations are set to bite him down the stretch this season after NW was hit with a massive blow on the injury front. Collins confirmed on Saturday that Brooks Barnhizer will miss the remainder of the season with a foot injury.
Barnhizer was the only player from a power conference to average 17 points, eight rebounds and four assists per game. He's irreplaceable.
Without its superstar, NW is now drawing a USC team that has turned the corner under Eric Musselman.
In the Trojans' past six games, they’ve upset a pair of nationally ranked opponents in Illinois and Michigan State while winning two league road games in the heartland.
Unlike the Wildcats, USC’s leaders in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks are all transfers. With such a transfer-heavy roster playing under a first-year head coach, it was bound to take time for the Trojans to put it all together.
Bart Torvik generates “Game Score” graphs for every team in America, which provide a visual representation of a team's performance, 0-100, on a game-by-game basis.
This chart is layered with their moving and five-game averages, providing a clear visualization of where a team is trending. USC is clearly on the upswing, while Northwestern is teetering on complete collapse.
Even with Barnhizer, NW sat outside the top 200 in shooting efficiency and defensive rebounding. Despite shooting nearly 40% from 3-point range against Wisconsin, the Wildcats failed to crack 70 points in a six-point home loss.
And most importantly, the Badgers dominated them on the glass, boasting a +9 rebounding margin. That’s exactly how USC and its massive starting lineup (23rd in height) will win this game.
