This article is part of our College Basketball Picks series.
Thanksgiving brings us several intriguing college hoops matchups all across the country. Here are my best bets for some action taking place later in the day.
Seton Hall vs. 
USC
The Pirates are cruising so far this season, entering Thursday at 4-0, although this is a hollow record at the moment because the Pirates have not been tested at all. In fact, Seton Hall has played the seventh easiest schedule among all 362 D1 programs, per KenPom, making it hard to put much stock in the Pirates' current numbers. The good news for Seton Hall is that it's still soundly defeating the competition while playing well at both ends of the court, with its offensive and defensive efficiency ratings ranked in the top 60 of the nation.
USC, meanwhile, sports a 3-1 record after surprisingly dropping a home game to UC Irvine just over a week ago. A loss is a loss, but it's important to note the Trojans were missing both Boogie Ellis and Kobe Johnson for that game. The Trojans did have blue-chip freshman Isaiah Collier available, so we can't make any excuses, but one would think the outcome is probably different if Ellis and Johnson were participating. In any event, the two Trojans returned in the following game against Brown, so they appear ready to go moving forward.
When comparing how these teams match up against each other, we don't have too many areas that stand out. Both teams are playing a balanced brand of basketball, with USC ranking higher in efficiency on both offense and defense. But if we take a step back and look beyond the current numbers, the Trojans appear to have an edge when it comes to overall roster composition.
In addition to returning leading scorer Boogie Ellis and bringing back two-way stand-out Kobe Johnson, the Trojans also now have freshman point guard Isaiah Collier as their floor general. Collier was the near-consensus top recruit in the country and is projected to be a lottery pick in 2024. On top of this, USC boasts the third-tallest team in the country in average height, so its frontcourt is also a formidable group.
While Seton Hall enters Thursday's game with a spotless record, it's hard to bet on a team that was 17-16 a season ago and has yet to play against a competitive opponent this season. The Trojans are brimming with potential, whether or not that gets fully realized by the end of the season is to be determined, but in the meantime, I'm betting that they'll be locked in on Thanksgiving. I'm laying the points with the Trojans in this one.
Additionally, both teams are pushing the pace this season, both ranking in the top 100 of fastest teams when on offense, per KenPom. Seton Hall has scored at least 70 points in all four games, and USC allowed both UC Irvine and Brown to reach 70 in its two most recent games. Given the pace and the recent numbers, I'm also jumping on the over.
College Basketball Best Bet: USC -4 and Over 141.5
BYU vs. 
Arizona State
BYU is off to a great start, still perfect at 4-0, and, perhaps more importantly, it already has a key resume-building win, a nine-point victory against San Diego State. Looking past the win column, BYU has consistently played at a high level in every game, recording the 21st-most efficient offense and 18th-most efficient defense. Needless to say, these are great numbers, but BYU looks even better when looking at specific categories, ranking ninth in offensive rebounding percentage, fifth in defensive rebounding percentage, and first in three-point field goal percentage allowed. You'd be hard-pressed to find any flaws or weaknesses up to this point.
Arizona State, on the other hand, has been a borderline disaster on offense. The Sun Devils easily have the worst offensive efficiency in the Pac-12, and the various key categories look even worse. Arizona State is making under 42 percent of two-point shots, ranking 337th in the country, as well as ranking 276th in three-point field goal percentage, 337th in effective field goal percentage and 343rd in free-throw percentage. As if these numbers aren't bad enough, Arizona State has also struggled on the glass. The Sun Devils rank 281st in offensive rebounding percentage and 288th in defensive rebounding, leaving them without much hope for many second-chance opportunities.
The Sun Devils' one saving grace this season is their defense. They rank 48th in adjusted efficiency, and they're causing defensive turnovers at the sixth-highest rate in the country, so if they're going to win many games this season, it's primarily going to be with defense.
Considering the strengths and weaknesses of each team, I'm betting that we'll have a low-scoring game on our hands. Arizona State cannot score, and BYU has played elite defense thus far. It's possible that BYU scores too many points and busts the under, but I'm betting that the Sun Devils will hold the Cougars in check long enough for the under to clear.
College Basketball Best Bet: Under 141.5
Thursday College Basketball Best Bets:
Here's a recap of my best college basketball bets for Thursday:
- USC -4
- Seton Hall vs. USC - Over 141.5
- BYU vs. Arizona State - Under 141.5
For up-to-date information on the latest college basketball betting odds and props from multiple sportsbooks, check out the college basketball odds page on RotoWire.
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