PREMIUM
Rogers' 10* LATE SHOW (ESPN2) >> 6-1 L7 NCAAB!
(NCAAB) Oklahoma vs. USC,
Point Spread: 1.50 | -106.00 Oklahoma (Away)
Result: Win
Point Spread: 1.50 | -106.00 Oklahoma (Away)
Result: Win
The set-up: The 6-1 Oklahoma Sooners will visit Los Angeles to take on the 4-2 USC Trojans on Friday night in the Basketball Hall of Fame's Hoophall L.A. Classic played at Staples Center. The Sooners have the better current record, although it's USC which comes in ranked at No. 25 in the latest AP poll. However, after opening 4-0, the Trojans have lost at home to then No. 16 Texas A&M (75-59) and followed with a 72-55 loss at SMU. USC is now looking to avoid a third straight loss against an Oklahoma team that has lost just once (92-83 to Arkansas in the PK80 Invitational) and is knocking on the top-25 'door' with a four-game win streak that includes a 90-80 neutral-floor win over 2017 Final Four participant Oregon in that same PK80 Invitational in Portland,.
Oklahoma: 6-2 freshman Trae Young scored a season-high 43 points to go along with a game-high seven assists and two steals in not only leads Oklahoma in scoring but his 28.7 PPG also leads the nation! Young, who also averages 8.7 APG, can't wait to play on the same court of former Oklahoma star Blake Griffin of the Clippers, not to mention the Lakers of Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. "I've been able to play in the (Chicago) Bulls arena, the Brooklyn Nets arena, obviously Portland and now L.A.," Young said. "It's going to be fun. That's a legendary place to play. ... I can't wait for it." The Sooners ranks second in the nation at 94.4 PPG and shoot 50.5 percent as a team (24th). Junior guard Christian James (11.9 & 4.0) and 6-9 senior forward Khadeem Lattin (11.1 & 9.1) are also are averaging in double figures.
USC; Last year's team set a school-record with 26 victories and made a surprising run to NCAA's Sweet 16 and with all five starters returning, were considered a 'sleeper pick' to make it to the school's first Final Four since 1954. However, after that 4-0 start, USC has been humbled in back-to-back games (see above). The team's current five starters average between 9.0 and 16.0 PPG, led by the 'Twin Tower' duo of the 6-11 Metu (16.0 & 7.7) and the 6-10 Boatwright (15.7 & 7.7). PG McLaughlin also scores in double digits at 13.5 PPG, while leading the team with 5.8 APG.
The pick: USC's loss to A&M is not much of a concern (Aggies are currently ranked 7th) but the Trojans led 30-27 at halftime at SMU last Saturday, before getting outscored 45-25 in the second half by the Mustangs. It was deja vu all over again, as six days earlier Texas A&M used a late 19-3 run to pull away for a 16-point victory at the Galen Center. USC is already without G De'Antthony Melton, who is being withheld because of eligibility issues stemming from the FBI investigation of assistant coach Tony Bland plus will also be without PG Derryck Thornton, a Duke transfer who is expected to miss three-to-four weeks after dislocating his right shoulder Nov. 28. Back-to-back lopsided loss is a concern for Andy Enfield's team, whose offense is not functioning well with USC making just 12 of 44 three-point attempts (27.3 percent) in those contests. Even in the "friendly confines" of Staples Center (just up the 110 Freeway from USC's on-campus Galen Center), a see a third straight loss coming for the Trojans. Make Oklahoma a 10* play.
Oklahoma: 6-2 freshman Trae Young scored a season-high 43 points to go along with a game-high seven assists and two steals in not only leads Oklahoma in scoring but his 28.7 PPG also leads the nation! Young, who also averages 8.7 APG, can't wait to play on the same court of former Oklahoma star Blake Griffin of the Clippers, not to mention the Lakers of Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. "I've been able to play in the (Chicago) Bulls arena, the Brooklyn Nets arena, obviously Portland and now L.A.," Young said. "It's going to be fun. That's a legendary place to play. ... I can't wait for it." The Sooners ranks second in the nation at 94.4 PPG and shoot 50.5 percent as a team (24th). Junior guard Christian James (11.9 & 4.0) and 6-9 senior forward Khadeem Lattin (11.1 & 9.1) are also are averaging in double figures.
USC; Last year's team set a school-record with 26 victories and made a surprising run to NCAA's Sweet 16 and with all five starters returning, were considered a 'sleeper pick' to make it to the school's first Final Four since 1954. However, after that 4-0 start, USC has been humbled in back-to-back games (see above). The team's current five starters average between 9.0 and 16.0 PPG, led by the 'Twin Tower' duo of the 6-11 Metu (16.0 & 7.7) and the 6-10 Boatwright (15.7 & 7.7). PG McLaughlin also scores in double digits at 13.5 PPG, while leading the team with 5.8 APG.
The pick: USC's loss to A&M is not much of a concern (Aggies are currently ranked 7th) but the Trojans led 30-27 at halftime at SMU last Saturday, before getting outscored 45-25 in the second half by the Mustangs. It was deja vu all over again, as six days earlier Texas A&M used a late 19-3 run to pull away for a 16-point victory at the Galen Center. USC is already without G De'Antthony Melton, who is being withheld because of eligibility issues stemming from the FBI investigation of assistant coach Tony Bland plus will also be without PG Derryck Thornton, a Duke transfer who is expected to miss three-to-four weeks after dislocating his right shoulder Nov. 28. Back-to-back lopsided loss is a concern for Andy Enfield's team, whose offense is not functioning well with USC making just 12 of 44 three-point attempts (27.3 percent) in those contests. Even in the "friendly confines" of Staples Center (just up the 110 Freeway from USC's on-campus Galen Center), a see a third straight loss coming for the Trojans. Make Oklahoma a 10* play.
