USC vs. Wisconsin Picks and Predictions: Big Ten Basketball
Written by: Nate Hornung
Published: Sat Jan 24, 2026, 10:23 pm ET
Read Time: 5 minutes
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There aren't very many games to choose from on Sunday's college hoops slate, but this Big Ten battle is certainly worth watching. The USC Trojans are a long way from home as they take on the Wisconsin Badgers at the Kohl Center. They've lost their last two games, both of which were at home, and find themselves as three possession underdogs in this conference contest. Can Eric Musselman's team find a way to upset the Badgers? Let's get into our favorite picks and find out.
Best Bet: Wisconsin -7.5 (-109) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
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USC Trojans vs. Wisconsin Badgers NCAA Basketball Insights
Can USC find a way to upset Wisconsin at the Kohl Center?
Both teams sit at 14-5 on the season, but things are going much different in Big Ten play. The Badgers are off to a 6-2 start in conference play, losing only to No. 23 Nebraska in Lincoln and to No. 5 Purdue at home. Their other three losses were to No. 9 BYU on the road, and to TCU and to Villanova in overtime, both at a neutral site. But they have won five straight and seven of their last eight, including a road win over No. 2 Michigan.
The Trojans were a perfect 11-0 in non conference games, but have dropped five of their eight in the Big Ten, including two straight. Their losses have been to Washington, No. 5 Purdue and Northwestern at home, and then to No. 2 Michigan and No. 12 Michigan State on the road. They are certainly a different team away from Los Angeles. Do they have it in them to come fired up for this contest?
Matchup Information – USC vs. Wisconsin – January 25
- Venue & Location: Kohl Center (Madison, WI)
- Date: Sunday, January 25, 2025
- Kick Off: 4:00 p.m. Eastern
- Broadcast: Peacock
USC vs. Wisconsin Betting Odds
Odds are courtesy of Lucky Rebel, one of our favorite online sportsbooks, as of January 24, 2025 at 9:27 p.m. eastern. Sign up today with and get a $1,250 deposit bonus, as well as 50 slot spins immediately. Lucky Rebel Sportsbook offers a wide variety of unique markets across nearly every sport imaginable.
Spread
- USC +7.5 (-111)
- Wisconsin -7.5 (-109)
Total
- Over 159.5 (-110)
- Under 159.5 (-110)
USC barely squeaked by Minnesota for their second road win in the Big Ten (they beat Oregon by five in Eugene). But their splits are not all that great, and I have little faith in them showing up on Sunday.
USC vs. Wisconsin NCAA Basketball Picks and Predictions
John Blackwell leads the Badgers in minutes and steals, adding 18.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game
USC vs. Wisconsin Prediction: Wisconsin Wins and Covers, Over 159.5
Best Bet: Wisconsin -7.5 (-109) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
Have no fear and back the Badgers with me. Both teams like to run, so we should see plenty of chances for Wisconsin to cover. They are very efficient on offense and their defense significantly improves at the Kohl Center, which is a very tough place to play. The Badgers prevent offensive rebounds, take care of the rock, and don't leave points at the free throw line. Their only home loss came against the Boilermakers, and USC has not proven to me that they can win a tough game away from home.
The Trojans get to the stripe a ton, but have a terrible time taking care of the basketball. They rank bottom 30 in turnover rate in nine games on the road or at neutral sites, and they don't shoot enough threes keep up. This is not a Greg Gard Badgers team that plays slow and meticulous offense. They play fearless, very fast, and leave it all on the court.
This season, the Trojans' worst two offensive outputs were against Michigan and Michigan State on the road. While Wisconsin's defense is not quite comparable to those two teams, they are still rock solid and make winning in Madison very tough. I simply don't think USC has it in them to pull this off, especially since they have not left home in over two weeks.
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Nate has been a recreational sports bettor for about 5 years. In that time, he has grown to love the pursuit of winners and sticking it to The Man. Nate loves data and uses his understanding of numbers to help him be a more profitable sports gambler, however he will be the first to tell you this game is about more than just stats.
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