Rutgers vs USC Picks and Predictions for Saturday January 29 2025

By: Jeremy O'Quinn Published 01/31/2026, 12:25 AM ET

Rutgers Preview

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are heading to the Galen Center on Friday, where they will take on the USC Trojans. Get the rest of our free college basketball picks here! The Rutgers Scarlet Knights come into this Big Ten road matchup with a 9-12 overall record and 2-8 in conference play this season. Rutgers has struggled in league action, including a tough 88-79 overtime loss to No. 7 Michigan State in their most recent outing, where they led for much of the game but couldn’t close it out. Rutgers is averaging 70.1 points per game while shooting 40.6% from the field and 32.2% from three. Guard Tariq Francis has been a key contributor, averaging 16.2 points per game, while the team’s rebounding and assist numbers lag behind many Big Ten peers.

USC Preview

The USC Trojans currently sit at 15-6 overall with a 4-6 Big Ten record, making them one of the more balanced teams in the league this season. USC scores 81.6 points per game while shooting 47% from the field, and despite missing leading scorer Rodney Rice for the season due to a shoulder injury, they’ve found scoring from multiple spots. Guard Chad Baker-Mazara leads the way with 18.9 points per game, and forward Ezra Ausar at 15.9 a game. At home in Los Angeles, the Trojans have a significant scoring edge and have pulled off tight Big Ten wins in recent weeks, including a 73-71 victory over Wisconsin.

USC vs Rutgers Prediction

Rutgers heads into Saturday’s game on a four game losing skid, while USC hopes to shake off a loss from Iowa. Expect the Trojans to be very aggressive offensively, leading them to take care of the -12.5 spread. Final score prediction, USC wins 83-66.

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