College basketball picks: Arizona State-USC prediction, odds, spread for Pac-12 Tournament

For the USC Trojans (22-9), they'll run it back and battle the very last team they faced to close out their regular season: The Arizona State Sun Devils (21-11). Tipping off late Thursday night at 11:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, the Pac-12 Men's Basketball Tournament is hosted at T-Mobile Arena on the world famous Las Vegas Strip.

Let's take a look at the odds and lines on DraftKings Sportsbook and make some picks.

Arizona State vs. USC odds in Pac-12 quarterfinals

Spread: USC -4 (-115)
Over/Under: 139.5
Moneyline: USC -180, ASU +155

For these two Pac-12 South rivals (as long as they can still technically claim that), it's been quite an entertaining series on the hardwood in 2022-23. In a conference that boasts the likes of powerhouse basketball programs like No. 2 UCLA and No. 8 Arizona, it can be easy to overlook the Trojans and Sun Devils, both of which showcase deep talent.

A win Thursday night for either USC or ASU would not only further real chances of winning the conference playoffs, but it will also do wonders for bolstering big NCAA tournament resumes. As it is, the Pac-12 is well respected in hoops, and should feature a crooked number of teams making the big dance next week.

The Pick: USC -4

Admittedly, this specific matchup is quite tough for me to get a firm grasp on. My initial lean is with the Trojans to cover four points (juiced to -115 at time of authorship), partially because they bested the Devils in both regular season meetings (as recent as Mar. 4), and partially because that last win over ASU earned Southern Cal a Bye in the opening round of the conference tourney.

For Arizona State, they will be on a back-to-back after an up-and-down victory over Oregon State on Wednesday night in Round 1. The Sun Devils will have all the opportunity in the world to prove they belong in the big dance conversation by following that up with a win over USC in Sin City. ASU has come through on the big stage before, recently vanquishing hated rival-Arizona with a more-than-half-court buzzer beater in Tucson. They'll need similar magic if they hope to upset the Trojans, who many consider the Pac-12's third-best team.

  
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