Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs Wisconsin Badgers Matchup

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

Wisconsin vs Rutgers Prediction

The Badgers and Scarlet Knights are set to face off at 7:00 ET on FS1. The Scarlet Knights will host the game at Jersey Mike's Arena in Piscataway, NJ. Wisconsin is favored by -1.5 in this Big Ten conference contest against Rutgers. The game's over/under currently sits at 156.5 points.

Wisconsin vs. Rutgers Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Wisconsin Badgers at Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Where: Piscataway at Jersey Mike's Arena
Date: Monday, January 6th
Betting Odds WISC -1.5, WISC -127 | RUTGER +105 O/U 156.5

Badgers Preview: Is a Road Win Possible for the Badgers?

Wisconsin improved to 11-3 on the season with a dominant 116-85 win over Iowa on Friday. The Badgers were -6.5 favorites going into the game and covered the spread comfortably.

After leading 54-43 at halftime, Wisconsin turned up the heat in the 2nd half, outscoring Iowa 62-42. The game’s total points reached 201, well over the pre-game O/U line of 162.5.

Badgers Offense Breakdown

Wisconsin's offense was on fire in their last game, scoring 116 points with a 64.5% shooting percentage from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 80.6%, thanks to hitting 67.7% of their three-pointers, going 21 for 31 from deep. They also shot 88.2% from the free-throw line, connecting on 15 of 17 attempts.

John Blackwell led the way with 32 points, hitting 6 of 10 from three-point range and adding 8 rebounds and 5 assists. Drew Thelwell contributed 25 points, shooting 64.3% overall and 60% from beyond the arc. The Badgers finished with 26 assists as a team, with Blackwell and Kamari McGee each dishing out 5 assists.

Badgers Team Defense

Wisconsin's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 85 points on 64% shooting from the field. Their opponent was particularly effective from beyond the arc, hitting 21 of 31 threes for a 67% success rate.

Inside the arc, Wisconsin allowed 19 of 31 two-point attempts to fall, a 61% conversion rate. They also sent their opponent to the line 17 times, where they hit 15 free throws, shooting 88%.

Scarlet Knights Preview: Does Rutgers Stand a Chance at Home?

Rutgers fell to 8-6 on the season after an 84-74 loss to Indiana on Thursday. The Scarlet Knights were +7.5 point underdogs on the road and didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game were 158, surpassing the O/U line of 153.5.

Rutgers trailed 41-34 at halftime and couldn’t close the gap in the second half, where they were outscored 43-40.

Scarlet Knights Offense Breakdown

In their last game, Rutgers put up 74 points, shooting 44.3% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 49.2%, with a 52.5% success rate on two-point attempts and 28.6% from beyond the arc. At the free-throw line, they connected on 60.9% of their attempts, and they grabbed 7 offensive rebounds, dishing out 7 assists as a team.

Ace Bailey led the way with 39 points, hitting 4 of 8 from three and shooting 55.2% overall. Myles Rice added 21 points, while Oumar Ballo contributed 17 points and 12 rebounds. Mackenzie Mgbako knocked down 3 of 7 from deep, finishing with 16 points, and Trey Galloway also hit 3 threes, adding 11 points and 4 assists.

Scarlet Knights Team Defense

Even though Rutgers allowed 84 points, they held their opponent to 38% shooting from the field, with a 35% success rate on two-point attempts (16/45).

From beyond the arc, Rutgers gave up 12 threes on 27 attempts, a 44% shooting performance. They also sent their opponent to the line 25 times, where they hit 16 free throws (64%).

Badgers vs Scarlet Knights Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across their ten previous road games, Wisconsin has an ATS mark of 5-5. Their straight up record in these matchups was 3-7 while averaging 75 points per game.
In their last five games at home, the Scarlet Knights have a straight up record of 1-4 while going 1-3-1 vs the spread. The team's offense averaged 78 points per game in these contests.
Spanning across their last three games as the betting underdog, the Scarlet Knights have gone 1-2 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 0-3.
Spanning across their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Badgers have gone 5-5 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 9-1.