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The Rutgers Scarlet Knights take on the Ohio State Buckeyes. Check out our college basketball odds series for our Rutgers Ohio State prediction and pick.
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights know how to win at home. That has never been a question for them. Even before coach Steve Pikiell elevated the program in recent years, Rutgers was not a Big Ten road trip other schools could take for granted. Winning on the road remains this program's key challenge. Rutgers has lost games at Miami and Temple so far this season. The Miami loss certainly isn't a bad result, given that Miami was an Elite Eight team last season. The Temple loss, however, could look bad on Selection Sunday if there is any real doubt about Rutgers' resume. This team needs to win its share of Big Ten road games — not just against bottom-feeders, but versus solid opponents such as Ohio State. The Scarlet Knights can't hope to make the NCAA Tournament solely on the basis of good home wins.
However, those good home wins are certainly going to be necessary for Rutgers, and this past weekend, the Scarlet Knights bagged their first one of the season. They flustered and flummoxed the Indiana Hoosiers' offense, winning 63-48 by shutting down every Hoosier except for two: Miller Kopp and Trayce Jackson-Davis. Those two players combined to hit 13 field goals. The rest of the Indiana lineup made only four. Rutgers turned Indiana into a two-man team and took away the role players. The Hoosiers were utterly stymied. Rutgers will need to show that it can take this level of defense onto the road.
The Ohio State Buckeyes have, like Rutgers, lost two games this season, but the two losses are better than the Scarlet Knights' losses. Ohio State fell to San Diego State and Duke. Those are two sure-fire NCAA Tournament teams, whereas Temple is highly unlikely to make the Big Dance. Coach Chris Holtmann has been good at making the NCAA Tournament, but after his productive tenure at Butler, in which he reached the Sweet 16, Holtmann has not been as successful at Ohio State as many people had hoped. His teams have a blue-collar identity but lack the elite scorer or two-way force who completely takes over a game. Holtmann lacks, in short, a Greg Oden or Mike Conley. He lacks a Jared Sullinger or Evan Turner. Those players made Ohio State into a top-two-level seed in March under previous head coach Thad Matta. That's when Ohio State was a Final Four team and a college basketball powerhouse. Holtmann was supposed to develop OSU back into that kind of program, and he hasn't come especially close. Holtmann hasn't done a bad job, but he certainly hasn't been well above average, either. Buckeye fans want something more than modest success under a coach who was viewed as a big-time hire when he came aboard.
Here are the Rutgers-Ohio State NCAA Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Rutgers-Ohio State Odds
Rutgers Scarlet Knights: +6.5 (-112)
Ohio State Buckeyes: -6.5 (-108)
Over: 136.5 (-108)
Under: 136.5 (-112)
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Why Rutgers Could Cover the Spread
The Scarlet Knights showed against Indiana that they are capable of playing elite defense. Ohio State does not have a transcedent offense which is likely to torch Rutgers' defense and change the quation in this game.
Why Ohio State Could Cover the Spread
The Rutgers team you saw against Indiana was playing at home. Road Rutgers is very different from Home Rutgers, and that will make the difference.
Final Rutgers-Ohio State Prediction & Pick
The Rutgers defense might not win outright, but it can keep this game within six points. The spread feels slightly larger than it should be.
Final Rutgers-Ohio State Prediction & Pick: Rutgers +6.5
