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Get on your feet Big Ten basketball fanatics! On this Thursday, a conference showdown with major implications on the line will take place as the Michigan Wolverines travel to Jersey Mike's Arena to take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Let's check out our college basketball odds series where our Michigan-Rutgers prediction and pick will be revealed.
Clinging on to only a glimmer of postseason hope, the Wolverines enter this matchup with a 15-12 record overall including a 9-7 mark inn conference play. While they haven't done a whole lot to impress this season, they are coming off a big-time victory over their in-state rivals in Michigan State that was able to snap a two-game skid for the Maize and Blue.
On the other hand, Rutgers has their sights on dancing come March Madness time as they have already equipped their resume with some impressive wins on the way to a 17-10 record overall. Even so, it is not a guarantee that the Scarlet Knights will see their name be called on Selection Sunday, so the desperation may be at an all-time high when they suit up to take on the Wolverines.
Here are the Michigan-Rutgers college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Michigan-Rutgers Odds
Michigan: +5.5 (-118)
Rutgers: -5.5 (-104)
Over: 135.5 (-105)
Under: 135.5 (-115)
How To Watch Michigan vs. Rutgers
TV: FS1
Stream: Fox Sports App
Time: ET/PT
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Michigan Could Cover The Spread
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Although time is running out on Michigan and their margin of error is ever so minuscule, the Wolverines still boast enough talent to take care of business later tonight. All eyes will be on whether or not head coach Juwan Howard's son in Jett Howard will be healthy enough to give Rutgers fits. According to the injury report, Michigan's second-leading scorer on the campaign is dealing with a lower-leg injury and may not be available at the Wolverines' disposal. Nevertheless, even though they may be shorthanded, there are still ways that Michigan can find a way to cover.
For starters, coach Howard could not have been more ecstatic with his team's effort on the glass. Not only did the Wolverines dominating the Spartans on the boards which included 14 offensive rebounds setting up multiple second-chance possessions on the night, but it showcased Michigan's resiliency after being punched in the mouth by Iowa the game before. On paper, Michigan is far from elite when it comes to their rebounding, but gaining the edge on the glass for the second consecutive game could prove to do some wonders for this squad.
In addition, Michigan does have one of the best big men down low in center Hunter Dickinson. While Dickinson serves as Michigan's top-scorer at 17.6 PPG and is also shooting 55% from the field, he also often gives opposing defenses fits from downtown as he has connected on 40% of his three-point attempts. Since Jett Howard's availability is up in the air, Michigan will be even more reliant on their dynamic big man to carry the load on Thursday.
Why Rutgers Could Cover The Spread
Playing at home within the world of college basketball is a huge advantage, but Rutgers is also 16-10 ATS up to this point on the season and have made a knack in generating some extra dollars for fellow bettors. In order to pull this off yet again, the Scarlet Knights will also need to overcome an injury bug of their own as their top defender in Caleb McConnell's availability is up in the air. due to a gnarly case of back spasms. If McConnell can't give it a go, then Rutgers will need to be more dependent on more of an offensive presence than what they are accustomed to.
On paper, Rutgers owns the top-rated defense in the Big Ten, but are rather sluggish when it comes to finding dynamic ways in putting the ball in the bucket. Nevertheless, the Scarlet Knights do rank within the top of the conference in assists per game, so playing unselfishly and finding open teammates could be a recipe for success.
If there is anything that Rutgers definitely has an advantage over Michigan in, it will be their ability to come up with steals defensively in clutch moments down the stretch. Alas, the Scarlet Knights are averaging nine steals per game and if the Wolverines play too sloppily throughout, then they could be in for some big trouble.
Final Michigan-Rutgers Prediction & Pick
Give the edge to Rutgers in this one, as not only are they at home but they also match up well against the likes of Michigan. Even with the possibility of being without Caleb McConnell for this contest, expect the Scarlet Knights to band together and take care of business on their own floor.
Final Michigan-Rutgers Prediction & Pick: Rutgers -5.5 (-104)
