The Rutgers Scarlet Knights take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Check out our college basketball odds series for our Rutgers Minnesota prediction and pick. Find how to watch Rutgers Minnesota.

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights were having an absolutely miserable college basketball season through the month of January. Then something noticeable changed in their lineup. Their results followed accordingly.

Jeremiah Williams is a player who ran into problems with the NCAA over his eligibility status. He had hoped to be able to play for Rutgers this season, but the NCAA dragged its feet and was not very responsive to his or Rutgers' situation. Williams sued the NCAA, asking for immediate eligibility and for the chance to be allowed to play for Rutgers this season. He won the suit and joined the team at the end of January. Since his arrival on the court as an active member of the roster, Rutgers hasn't lost a game. The Scarlet Knights are 4-0 and look like a completely different team compared to the one which so regularly struggled without him. Williams is the obvious missing piece, providing the qualities and needs the Scarlet Knights had been lacking in his absence. Rutgers has knocked of Wisconsin and Northwestern, two likely NCAA Tournament teams, to rise up the board in the Big Ten standings. If Rutgers can continue to win over the next three weeks, the Scarlet Knights might be able to make the case that with Williams on the floor, they're worthy of consideration as an NCAA Tournament-caliber team. It's not likely, but it's not completely out of the realm of possibility either. It adds to the intrigue of this Sunday evening game in Minneapolis against the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

Here are the Rutgers-Minnesota College Basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.

College Basketball Odds: Rutgers-Minnesota Odds

Rutgers Scarlet Knights: +4.5 (-110)

Minnesota Golden Gophers: -4.5 (-110)

Over: 132.5 (-110)

Under: 132.5 (-110)

How To Watch Rutgers vs Minnesota

Time: 6:30 pm ET / 4:30 pm PT

TV: Big Ten Network

Stream: fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why Rutgers Could Cover the Spread

Rutgers with Jeremiah Williams is a lot different from — and better than — the Scarlet Knights ever were without him. You can see the difference in how this team plays, how it competes, how it handles adversity, how it plays defense. The transformation has been rather dramatic. Rutgers isn't a dominant team, but it is a resilient team which makes so many more good hustle and effort plays. This team finds defensive stops when it needs them. Rutgers is a good team right now. It wasn't a good team through January, but this is a very different group at the moment.

Minnesota, meanwhile, keeps blowing leads. The Gophers led Iowa by double digits a week ago and lost the game with a terrible defensive second half. The Gophers led Purdue by as many as 10 in the second half last week and couldn't hold that lead, either. Minnesota is simply not a reliable team or a strong defensive team at the moment.

Why Minnesota Could Cover the Spread

The Minnesota Golden Gophers are more than 10 games above .500 against the spread this season. Start there when considering your next betting play on this or any other Minnesota basketball game. Beyond that point, Minnesota outplayed Purdue — a likely No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament — for the first 25 minutes of this past week's game versus the Boilermakers. The Gophers didn't finish off that game, but they showed what they are capable of when everything is working well. Playing at home, Minnesota is less likely to blow a lead. The Gophers' blown leads to Iowa and Purdue were both on the road. Don't expect UM to blow a lead if it gets one here at home.

Final Rutgers-Minnesota Prediction & Pick

These teams are not dependable. Stay away and wait for a live play.

Final Rutgers-Minnesota Prediction & Pick: Minnesota -4.5