Rutgers at Michigan Betting Prediction
Let’s get ready for Rutgers at Michigan betting prediction! The Rutgers Scarlet Knights Men’s basketball team (12-7) travels to Ann Arbour for a Big Ten matchup against the No. 3 ranked Michigan Wolverines (14-1). Rutgers is a huge underdog coming into this one, with Vegas not giving them much of a chance. Currently, Rutgers is ranked seventh in the Big Ten with Michigan at the top. If this was a football game I would agree with the oddsmakers that Rutgers does not stand a chance, but Rutgers basketball program is in a much better state than the football program was and I expect Rutgers to put up a fight.
Go Blue
Michigan basketball appears to be clicking on all cylinders at this point of the season and is now ranked in the top five. Most of the time during this point of the season teams are not fresh and are banged up from playing so many games. Due to postponements, Michigan had a significant amount of time off to regain its legs and practice.
Forward Isaiah Livers is the leading scorer for Michigan scoring 15.0 points per game along with 6.1 rebounds per game. Livers has also been efficient shooting 49 percent from the field. Following this game against Rutgers, Michigan has a matchup against top 5 ranked rival Ohio State. It will be important for Michigan to handle business against Rutgers and not get caught looking ahead.
Scarlet Knights are Fighting
After a great start to the season, Rutgers began to cool down losing multiple games in a row. Rutgers has begun to turn things around and continues to be a middle-of-the-pack team in the Big 10. A big reason for Rutgers’s success is the play from junior guard Ron Harper Jr. Harper Jr is playing in his third season with the Scarlett Knights improving each year.
As it stands right now Harper Jr leads the team in scoring with 16.2 points per game adding 6.1 rebounds per game. For Rutgers to have a chance against the Wolverines Harper Jr will have to play well and put up big numbers scoring. On the season Rutgers averages 7.1 fewer points per game than Michigan and will need to score at will to stay in this one.
Last Five Games
Rutgers (4-1)
The Scarlet Knights have been playing well of late winning four of their last five games. Rutgers does a good job of handling some of the lesser talented teams in the Big Ten but struggles against ranked teams. Rutgers came out of the gate this season playing very well starting the season 6-0 and winning their lone game against a ranked team beating No. 13 Illinois. Since then it has been a bumpy road for Rutgers and they are 0-5 against ranked teams.
Michigan (4-1)
The Wolverines have been very good of late if you consider playing their last five games over a month recently. Michigan stumbled after starting the season undefeated in mid-January when they lost to No. 23 ranked University of Minnesota. Since then Michigan has struggled to get on the court having three games postponed to then finally return to action against No. 21 ranked University of Wisconsin winning 67-59.
Odds
Rutgers +10 (-105) Moneyline +450 Over/Under 136.5 (-110)
Michigan -10 (-105) Moneyline -600 Over/Under 136.5 (-110)
Prediction: Michigan -10
It is no secret that Rutgers has struggled against ranked teams. Both of these teams are coming into this game on a one-game winning streak if you factor in all of the time that Michigan had off due to postponed games. Michigan is fresh and the much better basketball team. In their last game, Michigan cruised to victory against a Wisconsin team that Rutgers was unable to beat earlier in the season. This might be a bit of a larger spread, but Michigan is the better team. Take Michigan -10.
