USC Trojans vs Michigan State Spartans – College Basketball Preview – Jan 5, 2026
The USC Trojans will visit the Michigan State Spartans on Monday, January 5, 2026. The game will be played at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, MI. This game is a conference matchup in the Big Ten and will air on FS1 at 8:30 PM ET.
The Spartans are favored with a spread of -11.5, while the Trojans have a spread of +11.5. Michigan State’s moneyline is set at -770, and USC’s is at +498. The over/under for this game is 151.5 points. Both teams hold a record of 12-2 so far this season.
USC Trojans Team Preview
The USC Trojans have a record of 12-2 this season. They are ranked 24th in the AP poll. In away games, they have won 4 out of 5.
USC scores 87.7 points per game, ranking them 32nd in the nation. Their shooting percentage is 48.4%. At the free-throw line, they make 22.8 shots per game, which is 2nd best in the country.
Chad Baker-Mazara leads the Trojans in scoring, averaging 20.4 points per game. Ezra Ausar follows with 16.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. Jacob Cofie adds 9.9 points and 6.6 rebounds on average.
Michigan State Spartans Team Preview
The Michigan State Spartans have a strong record this season. They hold a 12-2 record overall, with a 10-1 performance at home. They are ranked 9th in the AP poll, showing their standing in the Big Ten conference.
In recent games, the Spartans had a mixed performance. They won against Cornell Big Red with a score of 114-97, shooting 55.4% from the field. However, they lost a close game against Nebraska Cornhuskers, scoring 56 points compared to Nebraska’s 58.
Key players for the Spartans include Jaxon Kohler, who averages 14.1 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. Jeremy Fears Jr. also contributes with 11.7 points and 128 assists this season. The team averages 79 points per game and ranks 13th in assists per game, showing their team play.
Betting Prediction
The recommended bet for this game is to take USC +11.5. USC scores 87.7 points per game, ranking them 32nd in scoring. This suggests they have the ability to keep the game close, even against a strong team like Michigan State.
Michigan State’s recent performance against the spread is not strong. They have only covered the spread in 36.4% of their games as a favorite. This trend indicates they might struggle to cover the 11.5-point spread in this game.
USC’s effective field goal percentage is 54.4%, which is higher than Michigan State’s. This efficiency on the offensive end could help them stay within the spread. Additionally, USC ranks second in free throws made per game, which can also contribute to keeping the game close.
- Pick: USC +11.5
