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It is a Big Ten Conference battle as Rutgers faces Indiana. It's time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a Rutgers-Indiana prediction and pick.
Rutgers comes into the game at 8-5 on the year, and 1-1 in conference play. They opened up the year 4-0 before losing four of their last next, including a bad loss to Kennesaw State. Still, they have won three of four since, including last time out. In their last game, Rutgers beat Columbia as Dylan Harper recorded a triple-double. Meanwhile, Indiana opened up 4-0 before being blown out by Louisville. They would lose the next game to Gonzaga as well but have won six of the last seven since, with the only loss being on the road to Nebraska.
Rutgers and Indiana have faced 16 times since the 2015 season. Rutgers has nine wins while Indiana has seven. Rutgers won the only meeting between these two teams last year, winning 66-57.
Here are the Rutgers-Indiana College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel
College Basketball Odds: Rutgers-Indiana Odds
Rutgers: +4.5 (-102)
Moneyline: +172
Indiana: -4.5 (-120)
Moneyline: -210
Over: 157.5 (-110)
Under: 157.5 (-110)
How to Watch Rutgers vs. Indiana
Time: 8:30 PM ET/ 5:30 PM PT
TV: Peacock
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why Rutgers Will Cover The Spread/Win
Rutgers is ranked 75th in KenPom's adjusted efficiency rankings. They sit 66th in offensive efficiency while sitting 97th in defensive efficiency. Rutgers has been solid on offense this year. They are 59th in the nation in points per game while sitting 129th in effective field goal percentage. Further, they are 73rd in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio.
Dylan Harper leads the way for Rutgers this year. He is scoring 22.8 points per game while leading the team with 4.8 assists per gamer. Further, he has 5.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game this year. He is joined in the backcourt by Ace Baldwin. Baldwin leads the team in rebounds this year with 7.6 rebounds per game. Further, he is scoring 18.2 points per game while also adding a steal and a block. Finally, Jeremiah Williams adds 7.8 points per game while adding three rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.4 steals per game.
In the frontcourt, it is Lathan Sommerville who leads the way. He is scoring 7.8 points per game this year while adding four rebounds per game. Finally, Zach Martini has been solid this year. He is scoring just 4.3 points per game but also adds 1.8 rebounds per game in the rotation.
Why Indiana Will Cover The Spread/Win
Indiana is ranked 56th in KenPom's adjusted efficiency rankings. They sit 60th in offensive efficiency while sitting 66th in defensive efficiency. Indiana has been impressive on offense this year, sitting 70th in the nation in points per game, but 35th in the nation in assists per game, and 72nd in effective field goal percentage. Further, they are 59th in the nation in rebounds per game this year.
Malik Reneau leads the way for Indiana this year, leading the team in scoring. He is scoring 15 points per game this year while adding 6.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. He is joined in the frontcourt by MacKenzie Mgbako. Mgbako is scoring 13.5 points per game this year while adding 4.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. Finally, Oumar Ballo leads the team in rebounds this year. He has 9.2 rebounds per game with 12.4 points, 2.5 assists, and 1.8 blocks per game.
While the frontcourt does the heavy lifting, Myles Rice leads the backcourt. He is scoring 11.5 points per game but adds 3.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. Meanwhile, Trey Galloway leads the team in assists this year. He comes in with just 6.9 points per game but also has 1.8 rebounds and one steal. Still, the focus of his game is his 3.8 assists per game this year. Finally, Kanaan Carlyle has been solid in the rotation this year. He is scoring just 5.1 points per game but adds 2.2 rebounds, two assists, and 0.8 steals per game this year.
Final Rutgers-Indiana Prediction & Pick
Both teams are more offensively focused this year, with both teams playing better on offense than defense. Still, there are a few key differentiating factors between these two teams. First is the rebounding game. Indiana is 63rd in the nation in defensive rebounding percentage, while Rutgers is 111th in defensive rebounding percentage. Second is the two defensive units. Indiana is 113th in the nation in opponent points per game while sitting 84th in opponent effective field goal percentage. Meanwhile, Rutgers is 211th in the nation in opponent points per game while sitting 178th in opponent effective field goal percentage. The defense for Indiana will be the difference in this one.
Final Rutgers-Indiana Prediction & Pick: Indiana -4.5 (-120)
