Kansas vs. USC Picks, Odds, Starting Lineups For the 2024 Women's March Madness Round of 32
Kansas vs. USC Picks, Odds, Starting Lineups For the 2024 Women's March Madness Round of 32
In women's college basketball, a few athletes have taken over the sport. Names like Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese, and Cameron Brink come to mind.
These girls are all upperclassmen who have lots of experience in college basketball.
But when you tune into Kansas vs. USC, you'll watch two of the brightest young stars in women's college basketball.
USC's JuJu Watkins has scored nearly 27 points per game as a freshman. She added 23 points in an easy win over Texas A&M CC on Saturday in the first round.
Meanwhile, Kansas' S'mya Nichols is also a freshman who has averaged over 15 points per game. In a major overtime win over Michigan in the Round of 64, Nichols scored 15 points and grabbed four rebounds with four assists in 35 minutes.
When you tune into this game, watch these two freshmen get after it.
That said, let's check out the latest odds and starting lineups for the Round of 32 matchup between the Kansas Jayhawks vs. USC Trojans.
Kansas vs. USC Start Time, Where to Watch, and Odds
- Date: Monday, March 25, 2024
- Start Time: 10:00 pm ET
- Where to Watch: ESPN
Kansas vs. USC Odds and Betting Data
| TEAM | SPREAD | MONEYLINE | IMPLIED CHANCE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas Jayhawks | +10.5 (-120) | +400 | 20% |
| USC Trojans | -10.5 (-115) | -900 | 90% |
The USC Trojans have a 90% chance of winning tonight's game as the No. 1 seed in this matchup. However, the Trojans are just slightly favorites by double figures, with the spread at 10.5.
Still, Kansas has a little more juiced on the spread, implying oddsmakers believe Kansas has a higher probability of covering this spread.
Kansas Jayhawks vs. USC Trojans Prediction
The USC Trojans lack scoring depth. Without JuJu Watkins, USC wouldn't be a No. 1 seed.
Watkins scores 26.9 points per game. Meanwhile, McKenzie Forbes has added 13.8 points per game, and Rayah Marshall has chipped in 10.2 points per game. Nobody else is in double figures. However, Marshall has averaged a double-double this season, earning 10.5 rebounds with 10.2 points per game.
USC isn't as elite as other offenses in the nation. The Trojans have only scored .9 points per play. Compare that to Iowa's 1.04 points per play, and it's not that great for a No. 1 seed.
Opponents get to the foul line more than USC, but USC typically does a good job at defending the three-point line, with teams only hitting 30.2% from downtown.
On the flip side, Kansas has way more depth, with five players scoring in double figures. Most teams in women's college basketball don't have major rotations. Kansas has three players they'll play off the bench, but those three don't do much for them offensively.
That said, Kansas has scored .88 points per play and can stick around with USC. It's even likely that Kansas wins the free-throw battle. While USC plays really good defense from deep, the Jayhawks try and score inside the arc more anyway.
I like Kansas to cover the 10.5-point spread here.
Kansas vs. USC Prediction: Kansas +10.5 (-115) (Bet $115 to collect $215)
Kansas vs. USC Projected Lineups
Kansas projected lineup:
- G: Zakiyah Franklin
- G: Holly Kersgieter
- G: Wyvette Mayberry
- G: S'Mya Nichols
- C: Taiyanna Jackson
USC projected lineup:
- G: McKenzie Forbes
- G: Kayle Padilla
- G: JuJu Watkins
- F: Kaitlyn Davis
- C: Rayah Marshall
Kansas March Madness Odds
Because Kansas doesn't have the greatest odds to defeat USC, the Jayhawks are currently +50000 to win March Madness this year.
As I've acknowledged, Kansas has a legitimate chance at knocking off USC. It will be tough to keep winning after a win over USC. Imagine what would happen when Kansas had to meet teams like South Carolina, UConn, Iowa, or even LSU.
USC March Madness Odds
There are better teams in the NCAA Tournament than USC. At +2400 odds, the Trojans have the 7th-best odds to win the Tournament despite being a No. 1 seed.
There are multiple three seeds ahead of USC on the odds board right now. While the Trojans have a really good team, the metrics and analytics prove they went too far in the NCAA Tournament this year.
NCAAW TOURNAMENT ODDS
Jason grew up an avid sports fan. His passion for sports writing grew in high school and he developed a blog that was strictly for New York Sports. From his work, you will quickly realize that he loves looking at games from an analytical and numbers perspective and hopes to provide you with that same perspective in his articles.