USC vs. UCLA: How to watch, odds, predictions from ESPN, KenPom

It’ll be a short trip for the USC Trojans Thursday as they drive right around the corner to take on the No. 10-ranked UCLA Bruins. This matchup will be featured on ESPN in primetime, but before the opening tip-off, check out the predictions and betting odds – including KenPom analytics – for Thursday night’s Pac-12 showdown.

How to watch USC vs. UCLA

Tip-off: 9:30 p.m. ET

Location: Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles, California

Channel: ESPN

Vegas odds

UCLA is a 12.5-point favorite over USC on Thursday, according to VegasInsider. The over-under is set at 140.5 points.

ESPN BPI prediction

Predicted winner: UCLA

Predicted point differential: 17.2

Win probability (for UCLA): 93%

Matchup quality: 74.7

ESPN’s College Basketball Power Index (BPI) is a tool that measures team strength and uses that to predict outcomes of future performances. ESPN’s BPI has USC vs UCLA ranked as the national 6th highest-rated game on Thursday’s slate in terms of matchup quality.

KenPom prediction

Predicted final score: UCLA 78, USC 63

Win probability (for UCLA): 91%

KenPom is another tool that provides advanced analysis across college basketball. Like ESPN, KenPom projects that UCLA comes away with a victory over USC.

More on USC vs UCLA

The UCLA Bruins enter this matchup as one of the hottest teams in the entire country. UCLA suffered two losses in back-to-back games earlier this season during the Continental Tire Main Event in Las Vegas, but haven’t looked back since. The Bruins have put together a 10-game winning streak and are one of two teams still unbeaten in conference play in the Pac-12. UCLA leads the conference in point differential, beating opponents by an impressive average of 18 points per contest. They boast the Pac-12’s second best scoring offense and defense only behind Arizona, and will be hard to stop fresh off a successful road trip to Washington which they capped off with a dominant 25-point victory over Washington.

The Trojans also took a trip to Washington for a road trip, but fell most recently to Washington State 81-71. That loss snapped a seven-game winning streak for USC, whose played much better and looked greatly improved following their two losses in the Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis. The Trojans’ offensive attack is led by Boogie Ellis, who’s averaging 16.1 points per game this season, and will be looking to regain his shooting touch from downtown after going 0-4 from three point range versus Washington State.