The Rutgers Scarlet Knights (8-4) travel to face off against the Ohio State Buckeyes (11-2) on Wednesday, January 3rd. This game will be played at Value City Arena in Columbus and televised on BTN. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Tip-off is set for 7:00 ET.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs Ohio State Buckeyes
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights Are Coming Off A Win
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights come into their game against Ohio State with a record of 8-4. In their last five road games, including those from last year, Rutgers has gone 2-3. At the moment, Rutgers sits below .500 with a 5-7 ATS record. In their last five games, the team has gone 1-4 vs. the spread.
So far, Rutgers’ games have averaged 128.9 points per game with the average over/under line being 135.7 points. Over the course of the last five games, the Scarlet Knights’ games have averaged 130 points per game, along with an over/under record of 1-4.
The Ohio State Buckeyes Are Coming Off A Win
After playing 13 games, Ohio State has a 11-2 overall record. In away games, the Buckeyes have gone 2-1 this season, while they have a 8-1 record at home. As of now, Ohio State sits below .500 vs. the spread with a 5-7 record. Over their last five games, the team is 2-3 vs. the spread.
In 13 games, Ohio State comes in with an over/under mark of 7-5-0, with their games averaging 143.5 points per game. When analyzing the Buckeyes’ last five games, they have produced a combined average of 140 points per game and an over/under record of 3-2.
Rutgers Offense Breakdown
In contrast to their season average of 67.5 points per game, the Rutgers had a below average performance. They scored 59 points against Stonehill and had a field goal percentage of 25.8%. Clifford Omoruyi was the leading scorer for the Scarlet Knights, putting up 17 points. In addition, Aundre Hyatt contributed 15 points.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aundre Hyatt (F) | 12.3 | 5.5 | 1.4 |
| Clifford Omoruyi (C) | 11.4 | 9.1 | 0.6 |
| Derek Simpson (G) | 8.9 | 2.8 | 3.0 |
Ohio State Offense Breakdown
The Ohio State offense is coming off a game where they scored 78 points against New Orleans. They posted a field goal percentage of 44.1% and connected on 8 threes. Currently leading the team in scoring is Bruce Thornton who comes into today’s matchup averaging 16.9. Roddy Gayle Jr. also heads into the game with a PPG average of 15.2.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bruce Thornton (G) | 16.9 | 2.9 | 4.0 |
| Roddy Gayle Jr. (G) | 15.2 | 5.4 | 3.5 |
| Jamison Battle (F) | 14.3 | 5.0 | 1.4 |
Rutgers Team Defense
At present, the Scarlet Knights’ defense is nationally ranked 13th, allowing 61.4 points per game. Against Stonehill in their most recent game, the Rutgers defense gave up a total of 58 points while allowing Stonehill to hit 25% of their shots.
Ohio State Team Defense
Ohio State’s defense has been playing well, ranking 50th nationally, with 64.9 points allowed per game. The Ohio State defense is coming off a game in which they gave up a total of 36 points and allowed New Orleans to connect on 8 threes.
Scarlet Knights vs Buckeyes Trends
- When looking at their past five road matchups, Rutgers has an ATS record of 3-2 while averaging 65 per game. The team went 2-3 overall in these games.
- When looking at their past five home matchups, Ohio State has an ATS record of 2-3 while averaging 75 per game. The team went 3-2 overall in these games.
- As the betting underdog, the Scarlet Knights have an ATS mark of just 5-5 in their last ten games. Rutgers posted a straight up mark of 4-6 in these matchups.
- The Buckeyes have played well in their last three games as the betting favorite, going 3-0 straight up and 2-1 against the spread.
Scarlet Knights vs Buckeyes Prediction
In this Buckeyes vs. Buckeyes matchup, our point-spread bet is on the Buckeyes at -9.5. While we project the Buckeyes to win 75-69, our recommendation is to bet on the Scarlet Knights for the point-spread.
As for the total, the line is currently sitting at 132.5 and our model has the Scarlet Knights and Buckeyes finishing with a combined 144 points. Our pick is to take the over.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:January 3, 2024 Ohio State Buckeyes, Rutgers Scarlet Knights