College basketball picks: Cal-USC prediction, odds, spread for February 16

The USC Trojans will look to grab a second win over the Cal Bears as they host a Pac-12 matchup on Thursday. February 16. The game will air on 10:00 p.m. ET on Fox.

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

Cal vs. USC odds

Spread: USC -16.5
Over/Under: 129.5
Moneyline: USC -1800, Cal +1000

Cal (3-22, 2-12 Pac-12) has clearly struggled in conference play this season, not even cracking the top 250 at KenPom. They won two back-to-back games in December and early January and have not won since. Their last game was a loss to Arizona State, and they fell to USC 66-51 back in November. They score less than 60 points per game.

The Trojans (17-8, 9-5 Pac-12) have found themselves in a bit of a road slump as of late, falling in back-to-back games against Oregon and Oregon State. The Trojans are 12-1 at home and have a perfect opportunity to bounce back into winning with this matchup. USC ranks 53rd at KenPom and averages 71.2 points per game.

The Pick: USC -16.5

This Cal team is bad on the road, bad at home, and just bad all around. As the Trojans return home after dropping two on the road, they'll look to get back into a rhythm and gain some momentum back on their side. ESPN has USC in its First Four Out right now, and a defining win here would be a positive step. I'll take USC to cover.

  
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