The University of Southern California basketball team is hot right now. If you have any doubts then check with Arkansas Coach Stan Heath whose 12-seeded Piglets were dispatched by 17 points (77-60) in the first round of the NCAA East Regional in Spokane, Wash. Perhaps Arkansas was looking past USC, dreaming of a second round matchup with old Southwest Conference rival Texas. It was the Trojans who got the Horns in the second round…or should I say, they got Texas by the Horn defeating “Bevo” by 19 points (87-68). Oddsmakers had the Trojans favored by a bucket in the Arkansas game and had them as +3.0 underdogs to the Longhorns.
In spite of the lopsided wins in the first two rounds, USC has not gained much respect from pundits and oddsmakers as the Trojans are tagged as a +8.0-point underdog (152 total) to the top-seed North Carolina Tar Heels in the East Regional semifinal game to be played in Continental Arena in East Rutherford, N.J. with a 10 p.m. ET tip-off.
The Roy Williams led Tar Heels , have been doing their usual thing as of late. The ACC regular season co-champions and winners of their conference tournament easily disposed of 16-seed Eastern Kentucky (86-65) in the first round and followed that up with an 81-67 thumping of Michigan State in round two. Against Eastern Kentucky, the Tar Heels failed to allow backers to cash in on the -27-point betting line but easily covered the -9.5-point spread against the Spartans. The OVER cashed on totals betting in both the first and second round games.
Against Michigan State, Tar Heels big man Tyler Hansbrough scored 33 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Hansbrough averages 18.6 points and has led the Heels all season.
Tim Floyd's Trojans will have a difficult time countering Hansbrough in the paint but have a pair of talented junior guards, Nick Young and Gabe Pruitt who can score from beyond the arc.
The wagering public seems to think the Trojans are for real and are backing it up with their money as 68% of the dollars played are on USC . The public loves the OVER (152-total) too with 83% of the total money going that way. At Point-Spreads.com we think the opposite on the spread. North Carolina will not overlook the Trojans and have had plenty of time to prepare. We hope to fade the public by giving the -8.0-points and going with the Tar Heels. Point-Spreads.com pick: Tar Heels -8.0
