The Indiana Hoosiers take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Check out our college basketball odds series for our Indiana Rutgers prediction and pick.
The Indiana Hoosiers look like the Big Ten title contender they were predicted to be this season. Trayce Jackson-Davis is the centerpiece big man who makes everything happen. He scores, he rebounds, he defends, and provides leadership at both ends of the court. He shoulders so much of the workload for this team, enabling his supporting cast to settle neatly into its various roles and responsibilities without thinking they have to overextend themselves. Of course, the supporting cast does have to put in the work, and it is getting the job done. What is most evident with the Hoosiers is how good their wing and perimeter defense is. Players are working in tandem with each other. They are aggressive but are not reaching and committing cheap fouls. They are in the right positions and are not giving up cheap baskets. They aren't putting Jackson-Davis in compromised positions, which reduces his stress level and makes it easier for him to play well at the offensive end of the floor. Indiana's defense was superb in this week's ACC-Big Ten Challenge victory over North Carolina. Indiana looked like a team which had been to the Final Four last season, while North Carolina looked a lot less decisive and integrated. The Hoosiers have formed a team which seamlessly works together, has ample skill to make significant plays, and possesses the toughness to come through in important moments. Coach Mike Woodson has taken full advantage of Trayce Jackson-Davis's decision to return to school this season.
Rutgers was a classic bubble team last season, and it barely made its way into the 2022 NCAA Tournament, getting to the First Four in Dayton before losing to Notre Dame. This season's team looks much the same after three and a half weeks of play. The Scarlet Knights don't have a high-end win on their resume. They lost to Temple, which could look really bad on Selection Sunday, and they barely fell short against Miami earlier this week in a game which was tied with just under 90 seconds left. Rutgers will get plenty of chances for high-end wins in Big Ten play, and this game is the first such opportunity. Rutgers has been consistently difficult to beat in its own building in Piscataway. The Scarlet Knights play in one of the toughest venues in the Big Ten for visiting teams. Coach Steve Pikiell needs to get the best out of his players in this game — not just in terms of intensity, which isn't a question, but in terms of offensive execution. Rutgers is not scoring at the rate it needs. It didn't score in the final 75 seconds of the Miami loss.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Indiana-Rutgers College Basketball odds.
College Basketball Odds: Indiana-Rutgers Odds
Indiana Hoosiers: -3.5 (-110)
Rutgers Scarlet Knights: +3.5 (-110)
Over: 133.5 (-114)
Under: 133.5 (-106)
Why Indiana Could Cover the Spread
This is a thriving team playing well and playing together. It's not as though Indiana is doing things which are unsustainable; anything but. This team is playing good, solid defense and is winning with effort and intelligence. It's a formula which can easily be repeated. Rutgers does not have an offense which is likely to bother Indiana's defense.
Why Rutgers Could Cover the Spread
The Scarlet Knights are great at home. They have pulled off plenty of home-court upsets in recent years. They can certainly do it again.
Final Indiana-Rutgers Prediction & Pick
Indiana has earned the benefit of the doubt. Go with the Hoosiers in what should be a very competitive game.
Final Indiana-Rutgers Prediction & Pick: Indiana -3.5
Follow Us
Subscribe