March Madness odds: USC vs. Kansas State

2008 ncca tournament bracket
2008 ncca tournament schedule
NCAA tournament bracket


The glamor matchup of the NCAA Tournament's first round takes place Thursday night in Omaha, Neb., when Midwest Region No. 6 seed USC (21-11) faces No. 11 Kansas State (20-11), with the Trojans the betting favorites at WagerWeb.com.

We never got Greg Oden vs. Kevin Durant last year, but we get the two most-hyped freshmen of 2008 facing off Thursday in the Trojans' O.J. Mayo and the Wildcats' Michael Beasley.

In fact, Mayo says he predicted this first-round matchup during a conversation with Kansas State's Bill Walker, a long-time friend, moments before it was announced.

"I told him, "I think we're going to draw you guys,'" Mayo said. "Omaha seemed like a good place to play. At the same time, it's all about the money."

Mayo was referring to the fact that he and Beasley would no doubt be a draw both live and to CBS.

Beasley, the Big 12 Player of the Year, is the third-leading scorer in the country, averaging 26.5 points and is the No. 1 rebounder in Division I at 12.4. For good measure, Beasley also averages 1.7 blocks and 1.3 steals per game. He set an NCAA freshman record with 26 double-doubles this season.

"I'm always looking forward to showing up in the big games," Beasley said. "If you're going to bring it, this is the perfect time, just to show everybody that you are the best. I think this is a good time to shine."

The Wildcats' three leading scorers are freshmen, and yet they might be considered the more veteran team than USC because they feature two senior starters.

The Trojans' starting lineup includes two freshmen and three sophomores, and underclassmen have accounted for 95.7 percent of USC's scoring, the highest percentage among Division I teams.Mayo, a 6-foot-5 swing player, is scoring 20.8 points and, like Beasley, also can take over a game. But he also can has questionable decision-making at times, as evidenced by the fact he has more turnovers (114) than assists (104).

Mayo said he's also familiar with Beasley.

"I've played against him and I've played with him," Mayo said. "He's a good player and a great guy."

KSU ended the season in a 2-4 funk, beating only Colorado and Iowa State, the worst teams in the Big 12. Then it lost to Texas A&M in the second round of the Big 12 tournament.

The Trojans enter the tournament having won six of eight games. They also have played three of the top four seeds -- UCLA twice and Kansas and Memphis once each. The Bruins beat USC in two of their three meetings, most recently 57-54 last Friday in the Pac-10 tournament semifinals. USC lost to Kansas and Memphis by four points each.

"We've had a lot of games against Top 10 teams," Trojans coach Tim Floyd said. "We've been tested, but they have been as well. I don't think anybody has an advantage in that area."

Thursday's winner faces the winner of the Wisconsin-Cal State Fullerton game on Saturday.

USC/KSU common opponents: USC lost to Kansas, 59-55, on Dec. 2 at the Galen Center. Kansas State defeated Kansas, 84-75, on Jan. 30 in Manhattan, Kan., and lost to the Jayhawks, 88-74, on March 1 in Lawrence, Kan. USC swept Oregon, winning, 95-86, in overtime on Jan. 26 in Eugene, Ore., and 81-75 on Feb. 21 at the Galen Center. Kansas State lost to the Ducks, 80-77, in overtime on Nov. 29 in Eugene. USC defeated Oklahoma, 66-55, on Nov. 29 at the Galen Center. Kansas State defeated the Sooners, 84-82, on Jan. 12 in Norman, Okla. USC split its meetings with California -- losing, 92-82, on Jan. 3 in Berkeley and winning, 93-89, in overtime on March 6 at the Galen Center. Kansas State defeated the Golden Bears, 82-75, on Dec. 9 in Manhattan.

Prediction: Beasley might outperform Mayo, but the Trojans have way more depth and will advance.