Ohio State vs Rutgers Predictions and Odds (Jan. 15)

• Big Ten contenders Ohio State and Rutgers meet in league game on Sunday, January 15
• Rutgers is a 4.5-point home favorite against the Buckeyes at Jersey Mike’s Arena
• Read below for Ohio State vs Rutgers odds, analysis and prediction

Rutgers (12-5, 4-2 Big Ten) is a 4.5-point home favorite over Ohio State in a Big Ten game at 2:15 ET Sunday on the Big Ten Network at Jersey Mike’s Arena. The Scarlet Knights have won and covered seven of their last eight games.

Ohio State (10-6, 2-3 Big Ten) has lost three in a row, the latest a 70-67 home loss to Minnesota on Thursday. The Buckeyes won the first meeting with Rutgers this season, 67-66 in Columbus on Dec. 8, on a disputed shot at the buzzer.

Ohio State vs Rutgers Odds

Odds from FanDuel Ohio on January 14th.

Rutgers is a 4.5-point home favorite over Ohio State, much to the chagrin of Ohio sports betting. The Buckeyes have dominated the series, going 11-3 SU and 8-6 ATS since Rutgers joined the league in 2014-15.

Ohio State is 5-1 SU and 4-2 ATS in the last six. The Scarlet Knights have been been favored once in the  previous 14 meetings, losing 79-68 as a four-point home favorite on Jan. 9. 2021. Rutgers has covered the last two, winning 66-64 at home as a three-point underdog in the only meeting last season.

Rutgers is 12-5 ATS this season, the best record in the Big Ten, and 9-3 ATS at home. Ohio State is 7-8 ATS, 1-2 ATS on the road. The total has gone over in five of the Scarlet Knights’ last seven games and in eight of the Buckeyes’ last 10.

Rutgers Moving Up

The Scarlet Knights have navigated the loss of three-time leading scorer Ron Harper Jr this season without much of a hitch as Loyola Maryland transfer 6’4″ Cam Spencer has fit in nicely alongside veterans returning big men Clifford Omoruyi and Aundre Hyatt and guards Paul Mulcahy and Caleb McConnell.

Cam Spencer has to be one of the most important transfers in the country. pic.twitter.com/KRtRu7MpSz

— RutgersSportsTalk (@RutgersFBTalk) January 12, 2023

Spencer leads a balanced attack with 13.5 points per game, and he had career highs with 23 points and six three-pointers in a 65-62 victory Northwestern the last time out Wednesday. His 3-pointer with 14 seconds remaining put the Scarlet Knights ahead for good and was reminiscent of his game-winning 3-pointer with 13.3 seconds remaining in a 65-64 victory at Purdue on January 2nd.

Spencer, who averaged 16.9 points at Loyola Maryland and led the Patriot League in scoring last season, has a team-high 30 threes and is shooting 48.2 percent behind the arc.

Coach Steve Pikiell’s team is a blend of useful parts, a group that defends well, rebounds and minimizes turnovers. The 6’11 Omoruyi (13.1, points, 10.0 rebounds) and 6’6 Hyatt (10.0 points) help up front, and 6’7 McConnell (9.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists) point and 6’6 Mulcahy (8.8 points, 3.2 assists).

McConnell is the reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. Mulcahy had 12/6/6 against Northwestern, and the Scarlet Knights are 9-2 when he starts. He missed time with a shoulder injury.

Ohio State in Mini-Slump

Ohio State seems to have been staggered by a last-second 71-69 home loss to No. 3 Purdue on Jan. 5. That was a game in which the Buckeyes led by three points with 42 seconds remaining but did not score again. Then they gave up a game-deciding open three-pointer to Fletcher Loyer with 14 seconds left.

The Buckeyes have lost their two games since,  to second-division Big Tenners Maryland and Minnesota.

Ohio State freshman Brice Sensabaugh coming off the Bench #NBADraft

(First 8 Games):
• 14.3 / 3.4 / 0.5 / 0.3
• 49.3 / 46.9 / 83.3
• 17.8 MIN | 9.4 FGA | 4.0 3PA

As a Starter (Last 7)
• 19.4 / 6.1 / 2.0 / 0.9
• 53.4 / 40.0 / 75.0
• 29.7 MIN | 14.7 FGA | 5.0 3PA pic.twitter.com/Q782dA57CT

— No Ceilings (@NoCeilingsNBA) January 12, 2023

Bucks forward Brice Sensabaugh (16.8 points, 5.0 rebounds) is the third-leading freshman scorer in Division I behind Alabama forward Brandon Miller (18.8) and Baylor guard Keonte George (17.8).

Justice Sueing (14.1, 4.9) and Zed Key (12.3, 7.8) are the next two scorers on a Buckeyes’ team that is shooting 48.2 percent from the field. Key suffered a shoulder injury five minutes into the Purdue game, and his bulk was sorely missed against Zach Edey down the stretch. Key missed the Maryland game, when the Buckeyes were out-rebounded 40-26, but returned against Minnesota.

Ohio State vs Rutgers Prediction

Ohio State notched a gift 67-66 victory over Rutgers in the first meeting this season on Tanner Holden’s three-pointer at the buzzer. Replays showed that Holden failed to establish position after going out of bounds before receiving a pass along the right sideline before the final shot.

Buckeyes guard Bruce Thornton also appeared to step out of bounds as he brought the ball up before hitting Holden. The Big Ten admitted the following day that officiating mistakes were made.

Here’s the brutal fashion Rutgers lost to Ohio State: pic.twitter.com/8YSB0Bb9vV

— Brian Fonseca (@briannnnf) December 9, 2022

The revenge play makes for a good angle, but the series history indicates the Buckeyes are the way to go. Take the points.

Pick: Ohio State +4.5 (-110)

Season CBK: 18-11 ATS

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