Jeff Benton

USC (-2) vs. Boston College, at Minneapolis, MN
How ‘bout that outright free-play winner with Michigan over Clemson on Thursday? Let’s go for two in a row Friday by backing USC against Boston College in a No. 10 seed vs. No. 7 seed showdown. This play essentially comes down to one key fact: USC enters the Tournament on a five-game SU and ATS winning streak, including three impressive wins in the Pac-10 tournament, while Boston College was maddeningly inconsistent all season long, and that was especially true down the stetch when the Eagles lost five of their final nine games both SU and ATS.Start with the Trojans. Knowing they needed to win the Pac-10 tournament to advance to their third straight Big Dance, USC scored three upsets in as many days over Cal (79-75), UCLA (65-55) and Arizona State (66-63), with the tournament-clinching win over the Sun Devils being particularly impressive, as they rallied from a 15-point halftime hole. USC’s late-season run really wasn’t all that surprising, as this team was much better than it played in the middle of the Pac-10 season (when it lost six of seven games). You may not remember, but back on Dec. 4, the Trojans went to Oklahoma and took Blake Griffin and the Sooners to the limit, losing 73-72 as an 8?-point underdog.As for Boston College and its inconsistency, here’s all you need to know: The Eagles opened ACC play with a stunning seven-point road win at No. 1 North Carolina, then lost four straight (including an embarrassing eight-point home loss to Harvard!), then won four in a row before closing on that 4-5 slump.Lastly, when you get these Tournament matchups against seemingly equal teams, coaching becomes increasingly important. And I trust USC’s Tim Floyd a lot more than I trust Al Skinner – just as I trusted Michigan’s John Beilein a lot more than I did Clemson’s Oliver Purnell (and the 10th-seeded Wolverines beat the 7th-seeded Tigers outright). Simply put, there’s a reason the 10 seed in this one is favored over the 7 seed. Lay the small price.

5 Units USC