Illinois Fighting Illini vs Usc Trojans Picks and Predictions January 11th 2025

No. 13 Illinois Looks to Ride Depth vs. Southern California

The No. 13 Illinois Fighting Illini aim to extend their winning streak to six games as they host Southern California on Saturday afternoon in Champaign, Ill. Despite potential uncertainty surrounding leading scorer Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois is confident in its deep roster to maintain its high-octane play.

Illinois’ Momentum and Depth

Illinois (12-3, 4-1 Big Ten) has been on an offensive tear, averaging 87.9 points per game this season and an impressive 95.6 during its current five-game winning streak. The streak began with a narrow 80-77 victory over Missouri on Dec. 22, and the Illini have since showcased their ability to dominate with balanced scoring efforts.

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Jakucionis, who sat out Wednesday’s 91-52 win over Penn State due to a left forearm issue, is questionable for Saturday’s game. Coach Brad Underwood has adopted a “next man up” mentality, relying on the team’s depth to fill gaps when needed.

Ben Humrichous exemplified this approach against Penn State, scoring a season-high 21 points while helping to hold the Nittany Lions to 30.8 percent shooting. Humrichous has been a consistent contributor, with notable performances in recent games, including 18 points in Illinois’ 109-77 victory at then-No. 9 Oregon.

Tre White has also emerged as a reliable scoring option, averaging 19 points over the past three games. The Louisville transfer has been highly efficient, shooting 56.3 percent from the floor this season and 61.5 percent over the past seven contests.

Freshman forward Morez Johnson Jr. added intrigue with his second career double-double against Penn State, collecting 20 points and 11 rebounds in just 20 minutes of action.

Southern California’s Struggles

The Southern California Trojans (9-6, 1-3) enter the game on uneven footing, with five losses in their past nine outings. Offensive inconsistencies have plagued the team, particularly in conference play, where they’ve topped 74 points just once in four games.

USC’s woes were on full display in an 82-69 loss at Indiana on Wednesday. The Trojans struggled from beyond the arc, converting just 6 of 26 attempts, and were outscored 44-31 in the second half after a similar late-game collapse against Michigan earlier in the week.

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“We go through some offensive dry spells that hurt us,” coach Eric Musselman admitted.

Washington transfer Wesley Yates III has been a bright spot for the Trojans, leading the team with 18 points against Indiana and reaching double figures in three consecutive games. Desmond Claude added 15 points and has been a consistent contributor, scoring in double figures in eight straight games.

Key Matchup and Outlook

Illinois’ depth and ability to spread scoring responsibilities pose a challenge for a Southern California team searching for offensive rhythm. Even if Jakucionis is unavailable, the Illini’s roster has proven capable of stepping up in big moments.

The Trojans will need to address their shooting struggles and find ways to slow down Illinois’ versatile offense to avoid falling further behind in their conference slate.

With Illinois riding high and the Trojans struggling to find consistency, the Illini appear poised to continue their dominant run at home.