2 Best Bets and Player Props for Michigan State vs. USC Women's Basketball

Wednesday's women's college basketball slate is packed with compelling matchups, but the slate's most high-profile game won't tip until 8:30 p.m. ET when No. 4 USC hosts No. 22 Michigan State.

Entering Wednesday, the line is USC -13.5, and the over/under is set at 146.5 points.

Let's check out the Michigan State-USC odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook's college basketball odds to find the Michigan State-USC best bets.

Please note lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published.

Michigan State vs. USC Betting Picks

USC Over 80.5 Points (-106)

USC's defense (ranked first nationally by Bart Torvik's adjusted numbers) gives me pause in taking the over on this game's 146.5-point total, but I still want to back the Trojans' offense. USC and Michigan State are both top 20 in Torvik's adjusted tempo metric, so possessions should be plentiful. With the Spartans' D down at 19th in adjusted defense, I'm more comfortable taking USC to go over their 80.5-point team total rather than the game's over.

In Big Ten play, the Trojans are averaging a conference-best 78.4 points per game. They've notched 81 points in five of 14 league games.

Michigan State has strong season-long defensive metrics, but they've been merely so-so in Big Ten play. They're middle of the pack in conference scoring defense and have let up at least 75 points in two of their last four games.

It helps that MSU is one of the Big Ten's fastest teams, too. In total, USC has faced nine opponents ranked inside the top 100 of adjusted tempo. They've averaged 90.1 points in such contests, and 85.6 in the five of those which came in-conference. Three of those five saw them go over 80.5, and all resulted in at least 78 USC points.

With that, I think this is the right kind of spot to back the USC offense against a similarly fasted-paced team. With added possessions potentially in store for one of the country's most efficient offenses, USC over 80.5 points is one of the best bets for Michigan State-USC.

Juju Watkins Over 7.5 Rebounds (+100)

Though USC star Juju Watkins is most well-known for her scoring, the sophomore can fill up a box score with the best of them. She's averaging a touch under seven rebounds this season, but that actually undersells her work on the glass. Given USC's +25.1 average point differential, Watkins hasn't always needed to sell out in the rebounding department.

However, even with the Trojans favored by double-digits, we should see Watkins get more run today. Her minutes have ticked up in conference play overall, and it's worth noting she's been much more productive against the better teams on USC's schedule.

Across her eight games against teams rated in the top 30 on Bart Torvik, Watkins has averaged 7.9 rebounds across 38.1 minutes per game. She notched at least eight rebounds in four of those (50%).

Against everyone else, Juju puts up only 6.4 rebounds over 32.4 minutes per game. In that 17-game sample, she secured eight-plus rebounds just four times (24%).

On top of that, Juju has hit the glass harder at home (7.1 rebounds per game) than on the road (6.6), especially in conference play. She's averaged 8.5 rebounds across eight Big Ten home games, nearly two more than her road average (6.6).

That sets her up nicely in a plus matchup. Michigan State is third in the Big Ten in average pace, helping them surrender the third-most rebounds in conference play.

With Watkins notching at least eight boards in three straight games, I'll jump on the plus odds for her to go over 7.5 rebounds tonight.

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Which bets stand out to you across the nation tonight? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's latest college basketball betting odds to see the full menu of options.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.