Ohio State Buckeyes vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Rutgers vs Ohio State NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Columbus.

Rutgers vs Ohio State Prediction

Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Scarlet Knights and Buckeyes. The game is starting at 12:00 ET on FS1, and it's hosted by the Buckeyes at Value City Arena in Columbus, OH. Get ready to place your bets! The over/under for this game is set at 153.5 points, and Ohio State is favored by -6 vs. Rutgers in a Big Ten conference matchup.

Rutgers vs. Ohio State Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Ohio State Buckeyes
Where: Columbus at Value City Arena
Date: Saturday, December 7th
Betting Odds OHIOST -6, RUTGER +210 | OHIOST -275 O/U 153.5

Scarlet Knights Preview: Can Rutgers Pull Off a Road Win?

Rutgers Scarlet Knights Recent Game/Games

Rutgers fell to 5-3 on the season after a narrow 81-77 home loss to Texas A&M on Saturday, November 30th. The Scarlet Knights were +5 point underdogs going into the game and managed to cover the spread.

Rutgers trailed 40-34 at halftime but put up 43 points in the 2nd half while allowing 41. The total points for the game reached 158, going over the pre-game O/U line of 149.5.

Scarlet Knights Offense Breakdown

In their last game, Rutgers put up 77 points, shooting 41.2% from the field and 23.1% from three-point range (6/26). Their effective field goal percentage was 45.6%, and they hit 88.2% of their free throws (15/17). The Scarlet Knights grabbed 15 offensive rebounds and dished out 15 assists.

Ace Bailey and Wade Taylor IV each scored 24 points, with Bailey adding 10 rebounds. Taylor also contributed 5 assists. Jeremiah Williams was efficient, shooting 87.5% (7/8) from the field and finishing with 20 points.

Scarlet Knights Team Defense

Despite Rutgers giving up 81 points, they held their opponent to 41% shooting from the field, including just 23% from beyond the arc, with 6 made threes on 26 attempts. Inside the arc, their opponent shot 52%, converting 22 of 42 two-point attempts.

At the free-throw line, Rutgers' opponent capitalized, hitting 15 of 17 for 88%. The Scarlet Knights also allowed 15 offensive rebounds in the game.

Buckeyes Preview: Will the Buckeyes Pull Through as the Favored Home Team?

Ohio State Buckeyes Recent Game/Games

Ohio State fell to 5-3 on the season after a tough 83-59 loss to Maryland on Wednesday. The Buckeyes, who were +5.5 point underdogs, didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points of 142 fell just short of the O/U line of 146.

Ohio State struggled early, trailing 50-17 at halftime. They showed some fight in the second half, outscoring Maryland 42-33, but the early deficit was too much to overcome.

Buckeyes Offense Breakdown

Ohio State struggled offensively in their last game, scoring just 59 points on 37.9% shooting from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 41.4%, and they hit only 21.1% of their three-point attempts, going 4-for-19 from beyond the arc. At the free-throw line, the Buckeyes connected on 61.1% of their attempts, making 11 of 18.

Ja'Kobi Gillespie was a bright spot, scoring 23 points with 4 assists, hitting 4-of-8 from three-point range. Devin Royal added 18 points and 9 rebounds, shooting 57.1% from the field, while Derik Queen contributed 17 points and 11 rebounds, hitting 60.0% of his shots.

Buckeyes Team Defense

Ohio State's defense struggled, giving up 83 points on 46% shooting from the field. They allowed 22 two-point baskets on 37 attempts, a 59% success rate for the opposing team.

From beyond the arc, Ohio State held their opponent to 28% shooting, with 7 made threes on 25 attempts. The Buckeyes also sent them to the line 24 times, where they hit 18 free throws, shooting 75%. Ohio State allowed 10 offensive rebounds.

Scarlet Knights vs Buckeyes Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Through their last three road contests, the Scarlet Knights offense has averaged 84 points per game while allowing an average of 86. Rutgers posted an overall record of 1-2 while going 1-1-1 ATS.
Across the Buckeyes last three home games, the team averaged 67 points per game while allowing 77. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 1-2, while going 1-2 straight-up.
Going back to their previous three games as the underdog, Rutgers has an ATS mark of 2-1 while going 0-3 straight up.
As the betting favorite, the Buckeyes have an ATS record of 2-1 in their last three games. In these matchups, their straight up record was 2-1.