USC vs. Gonzaga: The best betting props for the Elite Eight

The Gonzaga Bulldogs have advanced to the Elite Eight in predictable fashion, decimating all opponents in their path with an unstoppable offense. Now they face one of the hotter teams in the 2021 NCAA Tournament in the USC Trojans.

Let’s examine the five best betting props for tonight's eagerly anticipated game.

Gonzaga Team Total: Under 81.5

Gonzaga's offense is the best in the country by a significant margin. In a matchup like this one, USC coach Andy Enfield knows he can’t try to go blow-for-blow with the favorites. The Trojans instead need to lessen the average number of possessions per game and rely on their size and strength to turn this into a slugfest.

Evan Mobley is a potential top-3 NBA lottery pick with good length and defensive presence. He should offer enough rim protection to keep Gonzaga from running up the score.

USC First Half Team Total: Under 33.5

Sticking to the theory that Enfield will attempt to slow down the tempo, it seems likely that USC will stay under 33.5 points through the first half. If this game becomes a shootout, it will likely be in the second half as tired legs and adrenaline cause both teams to get out and press the pace a bit more.

This game is for a spot in the Final Four, after all, so expect both teams to feel each other out a bit in the early stages.

Three-Way Second Half: Gonzaga -230

Gonzaga is a -385 favorite to win the game, but only a -230 favorite to win the second half. This kind of line presumes that they will build their lead in the first half and coast to the finish line while keeping USC at arm’s length. However, if Gonzaga is truly the better team they will execute just as crisply in both halves.

Jalen Suggs: Over 12.5 Points

This feels like somewhat of an obvious sucker play as freshman guard Jalen Suggs is an athletic lightning rod on the Gonzaga roster and projects to be an impact player at the next level.

Suggs averaged 13.9 points per game this season, and has gone over this number in seven of his last 12 games. Big players make big plays in big games, so let’s see if Suggs has it in him to light up the scoreboard.

USC and Under 153 Same-Game Parlay (+700)

I don’t think that USC is going to win this game, but if you want to look for more value and a nice hedge on any Gonzaga wagers, this correlated parlay prop is where you should look. While the USC moneyline is just +285, you can get +700 if you take them with the Under 153 with this bet.