Rutgers has been a dangerous opponent for Big Ten foes for several seasons now, particularly at home, but this season they have emerged as a contender. They have started with a 6-0 record (2-0 Big Ten), with their most impressive non-conference win coming over Syracuse. They started their Big Ten slate with a 14-point win at Maryland and a three-point at home against then-#6 Illinois on Sunday. They visit an Ohio State team that has a 6-1 record (0-1 Big Ten). They picked up a win at Notre Dame on December 8 and beat UCLA by seven on Saturday, but they opened Big Ten play on December 16 with a seven-point loss at Purdue.
Can Rutgers keep up their winning ways on the road? Don’t miss our college basketball betting preview.
NCAAB: #11 Rutgers at #23 Ohio State (Wednesday, December 23)
When: Wednesday, December 23, 2020, 4:30 pm ET
Where: Value City Arena, Columbus, OH
TV: Big Ten Network
Radio: Rutgers Radio Network / The Ohio State Sports Network
Live Stream: ESPN+
NCAAB Odds: XXXX
Why should you bet on the Scarlet Knights?
In their win over Illinois, Rutgers got 28 points from Ron Harper Jr, who has led the team in scoring in five of their first six games. Jacob Young chipped in 24 to help Rutgers come back from a double-digit deficit in the first half to beat the Illini. This was the first time Rutgers won a game in which both teams were ranked since the 1975-76 season, when they defeated St. John’s and ended up going all the way to the Final Four.
Despite the fact that Rutgers trailed by as many as 11 points in the first half and did not lead until after halftime, they kept chipping away, eventually going on a 12-1 run that would salt away the game. Harper had 19 of those 28 points after the intermission and went 5 of 8 from downtown. Myles Johnson put up 9 points and 13 boards, and Montez Mathis added 15 more. Big man Cliff Omoruyi, the Scarlet Knights’ blue-chip freshman, hurt his knee early in the second half and did not return. Rutgers will need him in the paint going forward, so keep an eye on their injury reports before locking in your wagers.
Why should you put your money on the Buckeyes?
Ohio State got E.J. Liddell back for their game against UCLA, and that contributed to their recovery from their loss to Purdue. Liddell had been out since December 8 with an illness not connected to COVID-19. He played 19 minutes against the Bruins, putting up 9 points and 3 rebounds. Duane Washington Jr scored 14 points, including a pair of clutch free throws in the last minute. Zed Key posted 11 points, six boards and a highlight-reel block. The Buckeyes’ willingness to play physical basketball and control the boards proved decisive in the win.
It also helped that Eugene Brown III found his three-point touch. He had only made two shots from downtown coming into the game, but he made two down the stretch to keep the Buckeyes ahead of the Bruins. C.J. Walker chipped in 10 points and four assists, as the Buckeyes shot 50 percent from the floor for the game.
Final Score and Prediction
Rutgers faces a real test of its claim to contend in the Big Ten this year. The Scarlet Knights were headed to the NCAA tournament last season before COVID-19 shut the season down, and they have started right where they left off. Now they have to play well in a road environment (although attendance will be limited) in order to keep their momentum going. I like Ohio State to push the Scarlet Knights hard, but I also see Rutgers drawing momentum from that big win over Illinois to make it 7-0.
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