2 Best Bets and Player Props for USC vs. Maryland Women's Basketball

Wednesday's women's college basketball slate is chock full of high-profile games, including a top-10 matchup between No. 4 USC and No. 8 Maryland.

USC carries a 14-1 record into the XFINITY Center while Maryland remains undefeated at 14-0. The Trojans are tied for the second-shortest odds to win the National Championship at +450, so we'll be treated to one of the top teams in women's college basketball tonight.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the Trojans are favored by 6.5 points, and the over/under is set at 146.5.

Let's check out the USC-Maryland odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook's college basketball odds to sift through the best USC-Maryland bets and player props.

Please note lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published.

USC vs. Maryland Betting Picks

USC -6.5 (-110)

Though tonight's USC-Maryland bout features two top-10 teams, the road Trojans are sizable 6.5-point favorites. In spite of the Terrapins' superior record, I see value in USC covering as road favorites.

USC profiles as one of the best teams in the country, even beyond their No. 4 ranking in the AP Poll. The Trojans come in at No. 7 in Bart Torvik's power ratings, boasting the country's 17th-best offense and second-best defense. Of their 14 wins, 11 have come by double-digits, including all four conference matchups.

Their lone loss came to a Notre Dame team with the fourth-best odds to win the National Championship, but the Trojans have been rolling ever since. Dating back to December 1st, USC is No. 1 in Torvik's power ratings.

While Maryland is 14-0, they're just 22nd by Bart Torvik's power ratings -- ranking 19th in adjusted offensive efficiency and 26th in adjusted defense. That's largely thanks to a lackluster strength of schedule. The Terrapins have faced just three teams inside Torvik's top 50. They won all three, but each game was decided by single digits.

USC, meanwhile, has already faced six teams inside Torvik's top 50. They've won five of those games, with three of the Ws coming by at least 7 points. Their two most recent wins in that split came by 20 and 30 points.

USC is the more battle-tested team, and Maryland hasn't seen a defense quite like the Trojans'. They managed just 72 points against Michigan State's 12th-ranked defense, so I'm not expecting much offensive success for Maryland against a USC side that's surrendered the sixth-fewest points per game this season.

Bart Torvik's model projects USC to win 76-68. Considering how proven USC already is, I'll jump at the opportunity to lay 6.5 points with the Trojans.

Juju Watkins Over 3.5 Assists (-125)

While USC's defense is the biggest reason I like them to cover, we certainly can't sleep on their offense. With a team total set at 76.5 points, the Trojans are expected to score plenty against Maryland's 79th-ranked scoring defense. That makes this a nice spot to target Juju Watkins in the prop market.

Watkins has put together a stellar season, averaging 25.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. She's currently a +130 favorite in the Wooden Award odds market.

Juju's best known for her scoring, but the sophomore's passing has been equally impressive this season. She's upped her assists average from 3.3 last season to 4.1 this year, putting her in prime position to go over 3.5 assists in a plus matchup.

Watkins has dished out at least four assists in 10 of 15 games this season, including each of her last six outings. She's been even more involved as a passer against top competition, posting a 30.2% assist rate while averaging 4.5 dimes in six games against top-50 teams (by Torvik's power ratings). Five of those six games ended with Watkins totaling at least four assists.

That makes Watkins over 3.5 assists at -125 odds at solid bet on FanDuel Sportsbook.

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Which bets stand out to you across the nation tonight? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's latest college basketball betting odds to see the full menu of options.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.