McKale Center - Tucson, Arizona
Tip-off: Thursday, 9:00 p.m. ET
Line: N/A

After snapping a nine-game losing streak, cellar-dweller USC looks to do the improbable and upset Pac-12 leader, No 7. Arizona.

USC finally snapped a dubious Pac-12 losing streak (nine games) with a 68-55 win at home versus Oregon State on Saturday. The Trojans have actually been solid ATS over their last 10 games (6-4), and should be facing a massive spread going into McKale Center where Arizona is 13-0 SU (9-4 ATS); 5-0 SU (4-1 ATS) in conference play. USC won on Saturday, impressively, without the services of arguably their best player – G Jordan McLaughlin (12.1 PPG, 4.5 APG) who has an injured shoulder. McLaughlin is questionable for Thursday night. After Arizona’s shocking defeat at in-state rival Arizona State, the Wildcats proceeded to go on the road to Washington and Washington State on Friday and Sunday and destroy both of them (86-62 and 86-59, respectively), while shooting 53% and 57% from the field. Historically, Arizona has won the last six meetings at McKale (5-1 ATS) against USC, with the Trojans’ last victory in Tucson coming in Feb. 2008. USC is 1-5 ATS in its last six games in Tucson as well. Arizona is incredibly stingy at home on defense, especially in conference play (55.5 PPG/allowed; 48.8 in Pac-12 play – 5 game sample). This is a major contributor in all five Arizona conference home games hitting the Under.

Can the Trojans upset the Wildcats in Arizona on Thursday? For the latest college basketball picks, check out The Platinum Sheet for all the StatFox Experts selections every week throughout the entire 2013-14 season. The experts have been heating up since Dec. 23, combining for a 57% ATS mark (115-87-3) in college basketball Best Bets. StatFox Gary is a strong 61% ATS (25-16) during this timeframe to improve to 61% ATS (43-28) for the season. StatFox Brian is 64% ATS (23-13-1) in Best Bets since Dec. 28 to put him at 57% ATS (40-30-1) this season, while StatFox Zach is on a 61% ATS (20-13) Best Bets run since Jan. 1 and has a 56% ATS mark (40-31) this season. StatFox Scott is a strong 58% ATS (23-17-1) in Best Bets since Dec. 23, and StatFox Dave is 6-1 ATS since Feb. 6.

The schedule set up perfectly for Coach Sean Miller’s Wildcats to rebound after the stunning loss in Tempe, as Arizona got to feast on the conference’s three weakest teams. USC, however, is the Wildcats’ last “cupcake” before the schedule stiffens with five teams who have postseason hopes. Will Arizona look past the lowly Trojans and let USC hang around. One of the more physically gifted teams in the nation not named Kentucky, Arizona gets it done on the defensive end first (58.2 PPG/allowed in conf. play, 2nd in Pac-12, 17th in NCAA), and is even better when looked at from an efficiency standpoint (.88 points per-possession allowed, 1st in Pac-12, 3rd in NCAA). The Wildcats use their length, athleticism, and defensive versatility to make sure their opponents almost never get multiple shot opportunities (77.6 DReb %, 1st in NCAA; 7.4 OReb/game allowed, 1st NCAA). They don’t play at an extremely fast pace (67.2 poss/gm, 112th in NCAA) but still average 75.9 PPG (26th in NCAA) due to shooting a cool 49.7% from the field (5th in NCAA). Arizona doesn’t really feature the three in their offensive arsenal (25.6% of shots are beyond the arc, 14th lowest in NCAA), but when you’ve got five starters who all shoot 45% from the field or better, and are unstoppable inside the arc (68.7% FG at-rim; 42.8% two-point jumpers – both figures top 10 in NCAA) it’s easy to see why the three isn’t needed. At the head of Arizona’s offense is one of multiple Pac-12 POY candidates Arizona has, G T.J. McConnell (9.8 PPG, 6 APG, 2.2 SPG), who’s really raised his game in conference play – (12.5 PPG, 57% FG – from a 6’1” guard!). Flanking McConnell are national freshman of the year candidate, G/F Stanley Johnson (14.5 PPG, 6.7 RPG), the Wildcats’ leading scorer, and F Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (11.5 PPG, 1.2 SPG, 1.0 BPG) arguably the best all-around defender in college basketball. F Brandon Ashley (11.6 PPG, 5.3 RPG) has been a steady force inside for Arizona, scoring double-figures in his last five games (including 17 points at WSU on Sunday). C Kaleb Tarczewski (8.7 PPG, 58% FG) also poured in 17 against the Cougars Sunday night on a perfect night from the field (6-for-6). If Arizona has a weakness, it’s that they don’t have much depth. The Wildcats play smart individual defense, though, as no starter commits more than three fouls per game.

USC has had four days to breathe easy after getting the monkey off their proverbial back with the Oregon State win on Saturday. Four days is an eternity to prepare, so Coach Andy Enfield will be ready for everything Arizona brings to the table. What USC doesn’t know is the availability of McLaughlin. Given the way that his replacement, G Julian Jacobs (8.1 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 2.6 APG) played – with 14 points, eight rebounds and seven assists (and eight turnovers) in the win – maybe USC doesn’t need McLaughlin? To that point, both USC’s Pac-12 victories (vs Cal, Jan. 7) were sans McLaughlin, with Jacobs succeeding in both (17 points, five assists against Cal). There’s no doubt that McLaughlin is an outstanding individual talent, but obviously there’s a chemistry component missing with all of USC’s perimeter pieces (that includes G Katin Reinhardt - 12.4 PPG, 2 threes/game). Maybe Enfield’s solution on Saturday - which was to bring Reinhardt off the bench and start G Elijah Stewart (3.3 PPG) – will be a lasting lineup change. The freshman Stewart excelled in his first collegiate start, with a massive line of 19 points, five rebounds, four assists, three steals, three blocks and 5-for-10 shooting from three. Reinhardt, also, was productive off the bench with 16 points, four assists, and 3-for-6 from three. Make no mistake: scoring 68 points against a slow-paced Oregon State team is quite impressive no matter who you are. Even if USC can repeat its production from Jacobs, Reinhardt and Stewart, it will need F Nikola Jovanovic (12.4 PPG, 7.2 RPG) to rediscover his game (7.2 PPG in his last five). Jovanovic had scored double-figures in 15 straight games, before failing to record 10 points in four of his last five outings.