Early in the season, Auburn was undefeated. On KenPom, Bruce Pearl’s squad sits at No. 23 overall, with adjusted offensive efficiency of No. 51 and adjusted defensive efficiency of No. 15. The Tigers will visit Florida in their first Southeastern Conference game on December 28, so they need to keep winning until then.

Auburn’s health is an issue here that needs close attention. Wendell Green, who averages 13.8 points per game, is doubtful to play due to an ankle ailment. His ankle was hurt during the game on Wednesday, so he hasn’t been able to participate in practice since then. KD Johnson, the team’s third-leading scorer, sat out Wednesday’s game due to a “coach’s decision,” but he’ll play against the Trojans on Saturday.

According to KenPom, the Trojans are the 71st best team in the country (93rd on offense, 58th on defense). USC has played three challenging opponents in Wisconsin, Tennessee, and BYU. Its performance in the contests? At one victory out of three games, and it came against a BYU club that isn’t exactly a formidable opponent, ranking only 84th in the country according to KenPom.

Boogie Ellis, the team’s point guard, leads the team in scoring with 14.1 points per game, while Drew Peterson, a potential triple-double threat, scores 13.9 points a game on top of 7.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists.

On Wednesday’s victory over Georgia State, the Tigers’ need on strong second halves to overcome sluggish starts was on full display. While coming into the game as -19.5 favorites, Auburn ended up behind 31-28 at halftime before coming back to win 72-64.

Especially on the West Coast, against a respectable Trojans team, I’m not convinced it’s a strategy that can be relied upon. This is not a good place for Auburn, as they are 3-8 against the spread in their previous 11 games vs teams with a winning percentage above.600, and they are 1-7 against the spread in their last eight games played on the road.

Given Auburn’s history of poor starts, plus the fact that it will be traveling a long distance to the game (2,140 miles, to be exact), I think USC has a good shot of winning the first half.

Auburn vs USC spread analysis

The opening line for this game was -1.5 in favor of Auburn at some sportsbooks, and it remains at that number at others. USC is now favored by a point and a half at several bookies. Never forget to compare prices before making a purchase.

Nothing seemed to be going in either team’s favor, so something will have to give. The Trojans are 6-1 straight up at home to start the year, while Auburn is just 3-13 against the spread (ATS) after a straight up win, and 1-6 ATS in its previous seven away games versus a club with a home winning % better than.600. The over/under for USC’s previous 26 home games is merely 7-19.

Because of their comparatively easy schedules, neither team has much of a track record to boast about. Is Auburn’s promising start to the season sustainable or only a fluke? For now, it’s tough to say because KenPom ranks the Tigers’ schedule as the 162nd toughest in the league. USC has had it even easier, ranking 213th in terms of the toughness of their schedule.

On Sunday, both sides will be looking to make a statement. As the home team, USC has my support, and I’d rather pick them with a halftime lead of 0.5 points.

Auburn vs USC Over/Under analysis

Overall, Auburn’s offense ranks 233rd in the nation, shooting only 43.4% from the field and 28.3% from beyond the arc (344th). The Tigers’ poor performance extends to the free throw line, where they are only shooting 66.2%. (299th).

Against a big, long USC defense that allows only 65.2 ppg (90th) and holds opponents to 37.4% shooting from the field, they could struggle to put points on the board (15th).

As a team, USC ranks 196th in scoring offense with 71.5 points per game, with a 45.7% field goal percentage (136th), 32.2% three-point percentage (257th), and 69.6% free throw percentage (209th).

Auburn’s defense is formidable, allowing only 61.0 points per game (thirty-first in the nation) and limiting opponents to 38.3 percent shooting from the field (26th). The Tigers are first-rate in preventing three-pointers, allowing only 27.1% of their opponents to attempt them.

Both teams have been considerably stronger on defense than they have been on offensively, so this one has all the makings of a low-scoring affair. Playing under 140.5 is my suggestion.

Odds, Picks, and Predictions for Auburn vs USC

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Both teams have gotten off to promising starts to start the year, albeit their strength of schedule may have played a role in that. Since Auburn got off to a sluggish start in their previous game, our college basketball picks favor USC in the opening half.

To play USC in the Galen Center, the Auburn Tigers must travel to the west coast.

Andy Enfield and company face the No. 19 Tigers on their own turf, and they have a chance to earn a rated win. The Trojans have been on a roll recently, winning their last five games and improving to 6-1 at home this year.

Regardless, Auburn is a heavy favorite according to NCAA basketball odds for Sunday. Is there a need for such a gap?

Find out what we think by reading our college basketball OKBET Betting Picks and Predictions for Auburn vs. USC on Sunday, December 18.

Auburn vs USC best odds

Teams	Spread	Total	Moneyline
Auburn	PK-110	o 137.0-110	-110
Southern California	-113.5	u 138.0-110	102