The Minnesota Golden Gophers (7-13, 1-9 Big Ten) will try to take down the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (14-7, 6-4) in Piscataway Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. ET (Big Ten Network). Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the Minnesota vs. Rutgers odds, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
Minnesota is on a 5-game losing streak since beating Ohio State 70-67 as 14-point underdogs on Jan. 12. This streak has seen a pair of 4-point losses to Michigan and Indiana while also losing by 18 to Illinois and 20 to Northwestern and only scoring 39 points in a loss to Purdue.
Minnesota has been the worst team in the Big Ten the entire season and Rutgers will look to use its 7th-ranked team defense (58.7 points) to hold down a terrible Minnesota offense, which ranks 349th in the nation at 62.2 PPG.
The Golden Gophers rank outside the top 300 in FG percentage, 3-points percentage and free throw percentage. This does not bode well against a Scarlet Knights team whose defense ranks 5th in opponents FG percentage and 27th in opponents 3-point percentage. Rutgers should be able to swallow up the Minnesota offense and hold them to minimal points.
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Minnesota at Rutgers odds
Provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 11:21 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Minnesota +675 (bet $100 to win $675) | Rutgers -1300 (bet $1,300 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Minnesota +15.5 (-115) | Rutgers -15.5 (-105)
- Over/Under (O/U): 125.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Minnesota at Rutgers picks and predictions
Prediction
Rutgers 65, Minnesota 51
Moneyline
PASS.
Rutgers -1300 is far too high for a straight wager and Minnesota is not going to win this game so the +675 is not worth a play either.
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Against the spread
MINNESOTA +15.5 (-115).
Minnesota is terrible. But it is still not worth risking 15.5 points against.
Even with the Rutgers defense being elite, the offense of Rutgers is not potent enough to risk such a high spread. The Scarlet Knights will keep the pace slow and there will not be enough points scored to allow for this spread to cover. If anything, I would stay away from this number entirely. But if you must make a play on it, the Golden Gophers to cover is the side to wager on.
Over/Under
UNDER 125.5 (-110).
Rutgers’ elite defense will smother the Minnesota offense. The last time Minnesota faced an elite defense in Purdue, it only scored 39 points. It will be similar here as the Gophers will barely make it to 50. This will also allow Rutgers to slow the pace down and not have to score much itself.
In 2 of the Gophers’ last 3 games, the Under hit by an average of 30 points. Minnesota has trouble scoring and it will again in this game. Do not expect points to be free flowing and expect the Under to hit by a good margin.
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