The Nebraska Cornhuskers (12-14, 5-10 Big Ten) take on the Rutgers Scarlett Knights (16-9, 8-6) Tuesday. Tip from Jersey Mike’s Arena is at 8 p.m. ET (Big Ten Network). Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the Nebraska vs. Rutgers odds, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
The Cornhuskers bounced back from a loss at Michigan by recording a 73-63 overtime win at home against Wisconsin Saturday. Nebraska has been up and down all season and facing an elite defensive Rutgers team will be a difficult task.
The Scarlett Knights will be coming in off a 69-60 loss Saturday to Illinois as 6-point underdogs. They will use their 7th-ranked scoring defense (59.1 points allowed per game) to hold down a Nebraska offense that ranks 310th in the nation at just 66.2 points per game. Rutgers has held opponents to 38.2% from the field (6th) and 29.1% from 3 (15th), this will be a low-scoring defensive-minded battle.
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Nebraska 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 12:17 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Nebraska +625 (bet $100 to win $625) | Rutgers -1100 (bet $1,100 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Nebraska +14.5 (-120) | Rutgers -14.5 (+100)
- Over/Under (O/U): 131.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Nebraska at Rutgers picks and predictions
Prediction
Rutgers 65, Nebraska 54
Moneyline
AVOID.
Nebraska (+625) is a Jekyll and Hyde team. Taking them on the road is not a good investment. It’s almost as bad of an investment as taking Rutgers (-1100) straight up.
Neither side offers the correct value to make a wager.
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Against the spread
NEBRASKA +14.5 (-120).
Is Nebraska good? No. However, Rutgers should not be a 14.5-point favorite either.
Nebraska has the 317th-ranked offense but Rutgers ranks just 214th in the nation. Scoring is not the focus of this one — defense is.
With Rutgers allowing only 59.1 points and the Cornhuskers just 69.1, this will be a close, ugly game, and 14.5 points are too many to take on the favorite.
Over/Under
BET UNDER 131.5 (-110).
Nebraska is 6-0 to the Under in its last 6 Tuesday games. This, combined with the lack of offense on either side and the 7th-ranked Rutgers scoring defense, make the Under bet the best bet of this entire game slate.
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