Indiana vs Rutgers Predictions, Best Bets & Lines (Jan 23)

• Indiana has lost four games in a row
• Rutgers has lost two straight but is 8-3 at home
• Our analysis favors the home underdog Rutgers +6.5 and an Under on the total points

Meanwhile, we turn our attention to Indiana basketball …

Tonight, the Hoosiers travel to Rutgers for a Big Ten basketball game. Tip-off is set for 6 pm, ET (FS1). (If you’re an Indiana football fan, you still have plenty of time to prepare for Saturday’s celebration of the national championship team.)

Indiana (12-7, 3-5 B1G) has lost four in a row. Rutgers (9-10, 2-6) has lost two in a row and three of its past four.

Somebody will leave the court tonight feeling a tad bit better, while the loser falls farther off the NCAA Tournament bubble.

Indiana enters as the road favorite, but recent struggles away from Bloomington combined with Rutgers’ home-court advantage create an intriguing dynamic. Key storylines include Indiana’s over-reliance on stars Lamar Wilkerson (19.0 PPG, 5th in Big Ten scoring) and Tucker DeVries (14.2 PPG) amid mounting fan frustrations, while Rutgers looks to interior anchor Emmanuel Ogbole to control the paint and extend possessions.

We’ll break down the matchup and offer our expert betting advice for Indiana vs. Rutgers.

Indiana vs Rutgers Best Bets

This conference matchup presents compelling betting angles when examining situational trends and statistical mismatches. While Indiana carries the favorite tag, several factors point toward value with the home underdog and a defensive-oriented approach.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights +6.5 (-105) via DraftKings

The most compelling wager centers on Rutgers’ remarkable home-court transformation. The Scarlet Knights are 8-3 at Jersey Mike’s Arena this season (72.7% win rate), a stark contrast to their overall struggles. This home advantage becomes even more pronounced when facing Indiana’s road woes, where the Hoosiers have managed just a 1-4 record away from Bloomington (20% win rate).

Indiana’s four-game losing streak has exposed critical vulnerabilities, particularly in close games where they’ve blown late leads. Despite Wilkerson’s production and DeVries’ dominance, Indiana’s recent road performances suggest it is vulnerable to Rutgers’ aggressive defensive schemes in a hostile environment. We aren’t calling for an upset, but our analysis tools project Rutgers to cover the spread.

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Under 147.5 Total Points (-110) via FanDuel

Big Ten conference play often produces grinding, possession-by-possession battles, and current form suggests both teams will struggle to reach offensive rhythm. Indiana’s defense allows just 70.0 PPG (7th in Big Ten), while its recent offensive struggles are evident.

Rutgers’ interior presence, led by Emmanuel Ogbole’s 1.32 blocks per game (8th in Big Ten), should disrupt Indiana’s paint attacks and force contested jumpers.

Rutgers averages 70.3 PPG and allows 74.1 PPG, while Indiana allows 70.0 PPG. Their combined statistical profile suggests a total of 144.4 points, which is 3.1 points below the betting line.

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Indiana vs Rutgers Public Betting Sentiment

Understanding the college basketball public betting market dynamics reveals clear contrarian opportunities in this Big Ten showdown, with public money heavily backing the struggling road favorite.

Moneyline Market Dominance

The moneyline tells an overwhelming story of public confidence in Indiana’s road recovery. A staggering 96.02% of all moneyline bets and an even more pronounced 99.2% of total moneyline money are backing the Hoosiers for an outright victory. This extreme public backing often signals potential value on the opposite side, particularly given Indiana’s recent road struggles and Rutgers’ home-court success.

Spread Betting Dynamics

The spread market shows more nuanced action but still reveals significant public lean. While 56.13% of individual tickets support Indiana covering -6.5, the financial weight tells a more decisive tale with 71.09% of total money wagered backing the Hoosiers. This disparity suggests larger, potentially sharper wagers favor Indiana, though the betting percentages don’t quite reach the 60% threshold typically associated with clear sharp versus public scenarios.

Our recommended Rutgers +6.5 play directly opposes this heavy public investment, positioning us as contrarians against both casual bettors and bigger money.

Total Points Consensus

For the Over/Under, public sentiment leans slightly toward higher scoring, with 54.4% of bets and 54.91% of total money supporting the OVER 147.5. This modest preference for offensive fireworks contrasts with our Under recommendation, which expects Big Ten defensive intensity and both teams’ recent offensive inconsistencies to limit scoring opportunities.

The betting splits reinforce our contrarian approach across multiple markets, particularly with the spread and total where we’re fading significant public investment based on situational analysis and statistical trends.

Indiana vs Rutgers Key Stats

Who has the edge tonight?

Supporting Our Betting Strategy:

The statistical analysis reinforces our three-pronged approach. Rutgers +6.5 gains support from their rebounding advantage and defensive intensity potentially slowing Indiana’s high-octane offense. The Under 147.5 benefits from both teams’ defensive capabilities — Indiana’s 70.0 PPG allowed and Rutgers’ shot-blocking presence — combined with Rutgers’ limited offensive ceiling at 70.3 PPG

Indiana vs Rutgers Odds

Odds as of January 23, 2026 at 8:35 AM EST from consensus sportsbooks.

The betting market establishes Indiana as substantial road favorites, with their -330 moneyline suggesting bookmakers expect a comfortable Hoosiers victory despite recent struggles. The 6.5-point spread reflects confidence in Indiana’s offensive capabilities overcoming Rutgers’ home-court advantage.

Breaking down the moneyline probabilities reveals the market’s assessment: Indiana carries an implied 73.42% chance of victory (vig-free), while Rutgers sits at 26.58% for the upset. A $20 wager on Indiana would return $6.06 in profit for a total payout of $26.06, while the same investment on Rutgers would yield $52.00 profit and $72.00 total return.

The evenly juiced total at -110 for both Over and Under 147.5 indicates sportsbooks view this as a balanced scoring environment, though our analysis suggests the Under provides superior value given both teams’ defensive capabilities and Rutgers’ offensive limitations.