Kansas vs USC Prediction & Best Bets: Will JuJu and the Trojans Punch a Ticket to Portland?

Two women’s basketball programs who haven’t reached the second week of the NCAA Tournament will face off tonight for a trip to Portland as #8 seed Kansas and #1 seed USC meet at the Galen Center in Los Angeles (10:00 pm ET, ESPN).

The Jayhawks (20-12) advanced to the second round for the 11^th time in program history with an 81-72 overtime victory over #9 Michigan on Saturday. The Jayhawks trailed by 10 with six minutes left, but rallied to force overtime and dominated the extra period, outscoring the Wolverines 14-5 to move within a win of their first Sweet Sixteen appearance since 2013.

For USC, it has been even longer. The Women of Troy were a highly successful program in the 1980s and 1990s, winning national championships in 1983 and 1984 and making 13 NCAA Tournament appearances between 1982 (the first NCAA women’s tournament) and 1997.

But they haven’t been to the Sweet Sixteen since 1994, and this year’s NCAA Tournament appearance is just their fifth since 1997.

But with freshman star JuJu Watkins leading the way, the Trojans (27-5) are poised to reach heights that they haven’t reached in some time. They opened the tournament with a blowout win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, and they are heavily favored to move on to the semifinals of the Portland 3 regional, where they would face #5 Baylor, who eliminated #4 Virginia Tech yesterday.

Kansas vs USC Odds

Odds are via BetOnline, a longtime fixture in the sports betting industry. Check out our BetOnline sportsbook review, then grab yourself a nice sign-up bonus to bet on today’s NCAA Tournament, NIT, and CBI action.

Spread

• Kansas +11 (+100)
• USC -11 (-120)

Over/Under

• Over 130.5 (-110)
• Under 130.5 (-110)

Moneyline

• Kansas +485
• USC -675

Kansas vs USC Betting Analysis and Prediction

While the Trojans may be heavily favored, the Jayhawks certainly shouldn’t be dismissed.

This season, Kansas has played a very tough schedule and navigated it well. In non-conference play, they played Penn State (a #1 seed in the WBIT), Virginia Tech, UConn, Texas A&M, and Nebraska. And in a conference with seven NCAA Tournament teams, they overcame a 3-6 start to finish 11-7 and defeated Baylor (by 21), Iowa State, Kansas State, and Oklahoma.

If this game is close for a while, I won’t be surprised at all. Kansas lost to Virginia Tech by one, UConn by eight, and they have lost only three games by more than 11 points this season (a 25-point home loss to West Virginia, a 35-point loss at Texas, and a 16-point loss to Texas in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament).

That said, I don’t foresee an upset here. Bigger challenges lie ahead for the Trojans (Baylor in the Sweet Sixteen and potentially UConn in the Elite Eight), but they won’t get caught looking ahead to the weekend.

Prediction: USC to win and cover

Kansas vs USC Best Bets

USC -11 & Kansas/USC over 130.5

More March Madness Betting Information

Where Can You Bet on March Madness This Year?

Each year, the top online sports betting sites take millions upon millions of March Madness bets.

Most March Madness betting takes place around and at tournament time, which is from mid-March to early April. But throughout the year, you can bet on who you think will win the college basketball national championship.

Along with men’s college basketball odds, most good sportsbooks now carry women’s college basketball national championship odds, which are drawing a lot of attention this season with the likes of South Carolina, Iowa, and LSU vying to cut down the nets in Cleveland, Ohio on April 7.

Numerous sportsbooks are good for betting on games like Kansas vs USC, but in addition to BetOnline, here are some of the books that we have reviewed and highly recommend:

• BetDSI (Review)
• BetUS (Review)
• Bovada (Review)
• MyBookie (Review)

If you are unfamiliar with any of the above sites, check out our sportsbook reviews to learn more about them. Speaking of offers, keep an eye on the latest sportsbook offers from these books and others as the countdown to the opening tip of March Madness continues. That way, you will not miss out on any special sports betting promos and bonuses to pad your bankroll for March Madness betting.

Other March Madness Content at Betting News

If you like this look at Kansas vs USC and would like to check out our other March Madness content, our March Madness guide is where you can find it all in one tidy place. But here’s a rundown of some of what we have put together to help you with your NCAA Tournament betting this year.

We’re also covering the 2024 NIT, so check out that content as well.

• Men’s March Madness Futures Odds
• Women’s March Madness Futures Odds
• 2024 Men’s Final Four Odds
• Six Men’s March Madness Sleepers for 2024
• Best March Madness Betting Tips & Strategies
• Where to Find the Best March Madness Betting Picks
• Best March Madness Betting Sites for This Year
• This Year’s Best March Madness Bracket Challenges
• Betting News Bracket Mania (Our FREE March Madness Bracket Challenge!)

Interested in Learning More About Betting on March Madness & NCAA Basketball?

If you are interested in learning more about betting on men’s or women’s NCAA basketball, check out our college basketball betting guide. It covers the basics of wagering on March Madness, the Mountain West, the MAAC, McNeese State, and beyond.

• College Basketball Betting Guide: How to Bet on NCAA Basketball in 2024

Also, follow Betting News on X/Twitter, Twitch, and TikTok to get more March Madness and NCAA basketball insight from myself and the rest of our team. We’re cooking up a lot of great NCAA Tournament content for both the men’s and women’s tournaments, so hit those links so you don’t miss out on any of it.

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