The Rutgers Scarlet Knights (15-11) and the Clemson Tigers (16-7) will battle it out on Friday night. The Scarlet Knights are the lower seed, but enter this matchup as the listed favorites. This seven vs. ten seeded affair will be a battle of the defenses as the total is set at a staggeringly low 126 points. We know what these defensive units are capable of. Which incompetent offense will be more competent on Friday night? Let’s continue our NCAA odds series and make a Rutgers-Clemson prediction and pick.
Here is how the sportsbooks have set the odds:
NCAA Odds: Rutgers-Clemson Odds
Rutgers Scarlet Knights -1.5 (-110)
Clemson Tigers +1.5 (-110)
Over 126 Points (-110)
Under 126 Points (-110)
Why Rutgers Could Cover The Spread
Following a second-round loss to the Illinois Fighting Illini in the Big Ten tournament, the Scarlet Knights earned an at-large bid into this year's Big Dance. They entered their round of 64 matchup with the Clemson Tigers as an underdog and have since become the betting favorite. An enormous amount of action has come in on Rutgers early on. Let's not sugarcoat it, this team is hot. They have won three of their last five and have gone 5-3 ATS in their last eight. They've done this against solid competition as well.
Rutgers has been much better on the defensive end in 2021. The Scarlet Knights come into the Big Dance averaging 5.9 blocks per game, which is the ninth-best rate in the nation. They've allowed the fourth-lowest three-point percentage in the Big Ten this season. They will abuse you on that end of the floor. Unfortunately, the same can't be said about the Scarlet Knights on the offensive end. They sport a well below-average offense. Senior guard Geo Baker will be the X-factor.
Why Clemson Could Cover The Spread
The Clemson Tigers are an interesting team. They had a solid season in 2021, going 16-7 SU and 11-11-1 ATS. Honestly, if they hadn't lost to Miami in the first round of the ACC tournament, they would've likely been seeded higher in the big dance. Clemson had a very strong start to the year, going 9-1 SU (6-3-1 ATS) out of the gate. With wins against Alabama and Florida State, this team was destined for greatness. They fell off a bit after that stretch and have lost two of their last three going into the tournament.
The defense is stout for the Clemson Tigers. They allowed just 62 points per game in 2021, which was the second-lowest number in the ACC. They match up very well with Rutgers on the defensive end. They have had their offensive struggles this season, though. They only shot 42.8% from the field and have especially struggled of late. They will look to Aamir Simms (13.3 PPG, 6.2 RPG, & 2.7 APG) to provide some firepower on that side of the ball and be the difference-maker for the Tigers on Friday night.
Final Rutgers-Clemson Prediction & Pick
I personally think that the drastic line movement is an overreaction to the Tigers' loss to Miami in the ACC tournament. As mentioned, the Tigers would've likely been seeded higher had they not lost that game. Clemson is the more talented team and has the higher ceiling in the tournament this year. The strong start to the year is a more accurate depiction of this team and a COVID hiatus mid-season slowed this team down the stretch. They will play with added energy and take advantage of Rutgers offensive struggles on their way to victory.
FINAL PICK: Clemson +1.5 (-110)
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