Scarlet and Game
Fansided

Ohio State vs. Rutgers prediction and odds for Sunday, January 15 (Value on total)

By Peter Dewey

Ohio State Buckeyes forward Brice Sensabaugh (10) defends Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Caleb McConnell. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State Buckeyes forward Brice Sensabaugh (10) defends Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Caleb McConnell. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Ohio State Buckeyes are trying to find their footing in Big Ten play after losing to the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Thursday night.

That marked the third straight conference loss for Ohio State, and things don’t get any easier on Sunday against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.

Rutgers comes into this game as the No. 14 team in KenPom’s latest rankings, and it played Ohio State tough in Columbus already this season, losing by just one point.

The Buckeyes have an elite offense, but Rutgets ranks third in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency this season. Could that spell trouble for Chris Holtmann’s squad?

Here’s a look at the latest odds and an offer from BetMGM to help you get started betting:

Ohio State vs. Rutgers odds, spread and total

Ohio State vs. Rutgers prediction and pick

With the Buckeyes in a bit of a rut, I don’t know if I can trust them to cover as short underdogs in this game.

However, I do think there is value on betting the UNDER 135.5 in this matchup.

The Scarlet Knights are an elite defense, and these teams went under this total in their first matchup of the season.

Rutgers also ranks 263rd in the country in adjusted tempo, and the Buckeyes actually don’t play much faster (223rd) despite having the No. 3 adjusted offensive efficiency in the country.

Rutgers has played nine games against top-100 teams in KenPom this season, and the Scarlet Knights have gone under 135.5 points in seven of those nine matchups.

The team ranks ninth in the country in opponent effective field goal percentage, but it doesn’t shoot the ball too well itself ranking 238th in that category.

Ohio State ranks 34th in both of those categories this season. The Buckeyes may be known for an elite offense right now, but they defend as well.

It’s not a fun bet, but the UNDER is the way to go on Sunday.

Find Peter Dewey’s full betting record here.

—

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

21+ and present in OH. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER

Home/Betting