UCLA vs. USC: How to Watch, Game Info, Betting Odds

Mick Cronin is in his third year in Westwood, and he is still missing a rivalry win over the Trojans on his resume.

The Bruins have yet to defeat the Trojans with Mick Cronin and the helm, and they'll have a chance to avoid their fifth-straight crosstown rivalry loss when they head to the Galen Center this weekend.

WHO: UCLA vs. USC

DATE: Saturday, Feb. 12

TIME: 7 p.m. PT

LOCATION: Galen Center, Los Angeles, CA

TV: ESPN –Dave Pasch (play-by-play), Bill Walton (analyst)

STREAMING: fuboTV – Get 7-day Free Trial

RADIO: AM 1150, Sirius Ch. 134, XM Ch. 197, SXM App Ch. 959 – Josh Lewin (play-by-play), Tracy Murray (analyst)

SPREAD: UCLA -2 (-110), USC +2 (-118)*

MONEY LINE: UCLA (-133), USC (+103)*

OVER/UNDER: O 133.5 (-136.5), U 136.5 (-110)*

UCLA is the No. 12 team in the country according to both the AP Poll and the USA Today Coaches Poll. USC is No. 21 in both polls.

The latest KenPom ratings have the Bruins at No. 12 and the Trojans at No. 33, while the NET Rankings slot UCLA in at No. 14 and USC at No. 29.

UCLA is 17-4 so far this season this season, losing to then-No. 1 Gonzaga after opening the season 5-0, then recovering with a road win over UNLV, a home win against Colorado and a road win over Marquette before a 26-day COVID-19 hiatus. The Bruins returned to action with wins over Long Beach State and Cal, followed by a loss to Oregon at home.

Immediately following that speed bump, UCLA strung together a six-game winning streak, beating Oregon State, Utah, Colorado, then-No. 7 Arizona, Cal and Stanford before losing the rematch against the Wildcats and getting upset by Arizona State two nights later. Things got better the following week, as they completed the season sweep of the Cardinal on Tuesday.

The Bruins are averaging 77.8 points per game and allowing 65.9. UCLA boasts the second-best scoring defense and third-best scoring offense in the Pac-12 while also being in the top five in the nation in limiting their turnovers at just 9.3 per game.

Guard Johnny Juzang is UCLA's top scorer so far this season with 18.1 points per game, while guard/forward Jaime Jaquez Jr, guard, Jules Bernard and guard Tyger Campbell are averaging 13.2, 12.8 and 11.2 a night, respectively. Campbell has the most assists per game with 4.7, Jaquez has the most rebounds per game with 5.6 and center Myles Johnson boasts a team-best 65.5% field goal percentage.

Guard Jaylen Clark returned from concussion protocols on Tuesday after missing two-plus weeks, and guard/forward Peyton Watson's status remains undetermined with a lower right leg contusion.

Things couldn't have started out any better for the Trojans this season, tipping off the year with 13 consecutive wins. That season-opening winning streak was at 12 – consisting of victories over Utah, Washington State, San Diego State and Georgia Tech – before USC had an elongated COVID-19 break of its own.

Right after the Trojans returned and beat Cal, they rose to No. 5 in the country, only to lose to Stanford the next day. USC is only 7-4 since peaking in the polls, dropping another game to Stanford as well as matchups with Oregon and Arizona, both of whom beat UCLA as well.

The Trojans are averaging 73.3 points per game and allowing 63.6. USC is the second-best team in the Pac-12 at rebounding the ball and limiting its opponents' rebounds, but while their defense is good around the rim, they're allowing the highest 3-point percentage in the conference at 38.2%.

After his brother Evan left some pretty big shoes to fill down low, stretch big Isaiah Mobley has stepped right up and become a Pac-12 Player of the Year candidate putting up 14.7 points and 8.5 rebounds per game so far this year. Memphis transfer guard Boogie Ellis is second on the team with 12.8 points per game, while wings Chevez Goodwin and Drew Peterson have both taken leaps by averaging double figures as well.

Mobley missed the Trojans' most recent game against Pacific on Tuesday, in which USC trailed early and needed to stage a second-half comeback to escape the upset. Mobley broke his nose against Arizona last Saturday, but he is in line to return against the Bruins.

Mick Cronin is now in his 19th season as a head coach, and he has an all-time record of 423-197 with 12 NCAA tournament appearances across stints at Murray State, Cincinnati and UCLA. Andy Enfield is now in his 11th season as a head coach on the opposite bench, and he has an all-time record of 218-142 with four NCAA tournament appearances across stints at Florida Gulf Coast and USC.

UCLA is 121-54 against USC since 1949, but the Trojans have won the past four games, including two on buzzer beaters to end the past two regular seasons, as Cronin has yet to topple his crosstown foe since arriving in 2019.

*Odds via SI Sportsbook

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