The Bucknell Bison (7-5) visit the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (7-4) Friday at 5 p.m. ET (Big Ten Network). Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the Bucknell at Rutgers odds, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
Bucknell comes into Piscataway with a 1-4 road record. The RAC is never an easy place to play and the Patriot Conference visitors will be at a severe disadvantage in this game right before Christmas.
Rutgers just pounded Wake Forest 81-57 Saturday, covering as a 9.5-point favorite. As Rutgers finishes its non-conference schedule before heading into a full slate of Big Ten games, it will need wins to make the NCAA Tournament. The path through the conference will be littered with potential losses and a .500 record in conference is not a guarantee. This needs to be one of those victories for Rutgers.
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Bucknell 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 3:23 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Bucknell +875 (bet $100 to win $875) | Rutgers -2500 (bet $2,500 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Bucknell +18.5 (-105) | Rutgers -18.5 (-115)
- Over/Under (O/U): 132.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Bucknell at Rutgers picks and predictions
Prediction
Rutgers 75, Bucknell 62
Moneyline
PASS.
Do not wager on this. Even in a parlay, a -2500 moneyline is far too high to make a difference in the odds and is not worth a bet.
Against the spread
BET BUCKNELL +18.5 (-105).
The Bison love to shoot the 3-point shot. They will live and die by this, and this makes them dangerous if they get hot.
I do not see them winning this game, but they can make enough shots to keep this within 20 points for the cover. We have also seen in recent days that more talented teams do not take the game before Christmas as serious as others. Kansas did not cover against Harvard as 21.5-point favorites Thursday and Penn State (-14.5) failed to cover against Quinnipiac. This will be another one of those games. A comfortable win. But not by 20. Give me BUCKNELL +18.5 (-105) as my FAVORITE PLAY.
Over/Under
BET OVER 132.5 (-110).
This wager could go wrong if the Bison are missing their 3-point shots. But I think they will make more than enough for Rutgers to be forced to score with them to keep this a comfortable victory.
While I do not see Rutgers putting up 90 as it did Saturday against Wake Forest, I can see it getting to 75 and this will be enough to get this game OVER 132.5 (-110).
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