Subscribe
Follow Us
It's time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a Minnesota-Rutgers prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Minnesota-Rutgers.
This is one of the final Big Ten Conference games of the season, part of an expansive Sunday schedule in college basketball. It has two teams which will not make the NCAA Tournament, but which did qualify for the Big Ten Tournament. Minnesota and Rutgers both needed to pick up a few late-season wins in order to avoid the fate endured by Penn State and Washington, and the loser of Sunday's Iowa-Nebraska game. Missing out on the Big Ten Tournament entirely would have been a grand humiliation for Minnesota and Rutgers. These teams have not had good seasons, but at least they avoided hitting rock bottom and will get to play tournament basketball in a few days. This game is about positioning for the Big Ten Tournament bracket and getting a more favorable seed. The other main purpose of this game is to establish a good rhythm and culture heading into the conference tournament.
Here are the Minnesota-Rutgers College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel
College Basketball Odds: Minnesota-Rutgers Odds
Minnesota: +4.5 (-102)
Moneyline: +168
Rutgers: -4.5 (-120)
Moneyline: -205
Over: 142.5 (-110)
Under: 142.5 (-110)
How to Watch Minnesota vs Rutgers
Time: 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT
TV: Big Ten Network
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why Minnesota Will Cover The Spread/Win
Minnesota has become a road demon, one of the more unexpected developments in this Big Ten basketball season. The Gophers have, in the past month, scored road wins at USC, UCLA, Penn State, and Nebraska. What's also wild about this plot twist is that Minnesota can't win at home. The Gophers have lost to Wisconsin, Penn State, Northwestern, Illinois, and Washington in the past five weeks all while they have been accumulating road wins. There's a mental block with this team in home games, but there's a mentally liberated dimension connected to this team in road games. Ride with this road game trend for Minnesota.
We also have to underscore one other point: Rutgers has been one of the biggest disappointments in college basketball this season. The Scarlet Knights have stumbled and bumbled through their season even though they have two players who are likely to be NBA lottery picks. Coach Steve Pikiell has not been able to get his supporting cast to blend with his stars in a way which maximizes production, efficiency, toughness, and — most centrally of all — results. Why bet on a Rutgers team which has been such a profound and consistent letdown this year?
Why Rutgers Will Cover The Spread/Win
Rutgers has Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper, and Minnesota does not. Rutgers has elite NBA-level talent on its roster which can enable the Scarlet Knights to separate themselves from the Golden Gophers. Rutgers is playing at home in its regular-season finale and should be motivated to play really well. There are ample reasons to think RU can win this game and win it decisively, by far more than the 4.5-point spread.
Minnesota has been great on the road, but the Gophers are ultimately a mediocre team with a lot of mediocre performances on their track record this season. The road surge feels like an outlier at this point, and it is bound to come crashing down to earth.
Final Minnesota-Rutgers Prediction & Pick
Our lean is to Minnesota, but neither team is to be trusted here. Pass.
Final Minnesota-Rutgers Prediction & Pick: Minnesota +4.5
