The Nebraska Cornhuskers take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in Piscataway, New Jersey, on Saturday, Feb. 7. Tip-off is set for 12 p.m. ET on the Big Ten Network.
Nebraska is favored by 12.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -900. Rutgers, meanwhile, enters as a +12.5 underdog and is +590 on the moneyline to pull off the upset. The over/under sits at 141.5 total points.
Here are my Nebraska vs. Rutgers predictions and college basketball picks for Saturday, February 7.
Nebraska vs Rutgers Prediction
My Pick: Rutgers +12.5
My Nebraska vs Rutgers best bet is on the Scarlet Knights to cover the spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Nebraska vs Rutgers Odds
| Nebraska Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-12.5 -102 | 141.5 -115o / -105u | -900 |
| Rutgers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+12.5 -120 | 141.5 -115o / -105u | +590 |
- Nebraska vs Rutgers Spread: Nebraska -12.5
- Nebraska vs Rutgers Over/Under: 141.5 points
- Nebraska vs Rutgers Moneyline: Nebraska -900, Rutgers +590
Nebraska vs Rutgers College Basketball Betting Preview
Nebraska Basketball
Deep into late January, it looked like college basketball might be copying the storylines from college football.
After Indiana's unthinkable undefeated season on the gridiron, Nebraska's basketball program sought to do something similar. The Huskers started 20-0, earning high rankings in the polls.
Nebraska's nonconference schedule was weak — 311th by KenPom's rankings — but included wins over Oklahoma, Creighton, New Mexico and Kansas State.
Big Ten play would certainly offer a tougher test, but Nebraska was ready, winning its first nine conference games. The Huskers won at Assembly Hall and beat Michigan State at home. The Cornhuskers proved themselves worthy of inclusion among the country's best teams.
However, the magic faltered a touch as the schedule reached its apex. A trip to Ann Arbor to face KenPom's current top team, Michigan, led to a three-point loss, with two of Nebraska's three leading scorers sidelined by injury or illness.
Those players returned in Nebraska's loss to Illinois, but the Huskers turned a 20-game winning streak into a two-game skid.
Those losses are no real cause for concern, coming at the hands of two real title contenders. Nebraska remains among the best teams in college basketball, winning on the interior and perimeter.
Senior Rienk Mast, a mountain of a man from the Netherlands, anchors the Huskers inside, while Iowa transfer sharpshooter Pryce Sandfort and a handful of other deadeyes from long range lead an offense capable of scoring in bunches.
Rutgers Basketball
The current era of Rutgers basketball doesn't make a ton of sense. I mean, we're talking about Rutgers basketball; there's not a deep history of things that make sense.
Yet in the last few seasons, Rutgers has been talented but unable to connect that to wins.
Two years ago, the Scarlet Knights had a top-five defense in the nation but paired that with the 298th-ranked offense and finished below .500. Rutgers was the first team to check those two boxes since Washington State in 2005.
Last year, the Knights had two players who would become top-five NBA Draft picks, and again, couldn't manage a .500 record.
This year, Rutgers isn't particularly good on either side of the ball.
The offense is inefficient and sluggish, posting the worst effective field-goal percentage in the Big Ten. This unit lives in the mid-range, taking the longest average 2-pointer in the Big Ten, resulting in the lowest 2-point shooting percentage, per KenPom.
Nothing comes easy for the Scarlet Knights, relying heavily on the dribble-drive creation of NJIT transfer and leading scorer Tariq Francis.
On the other end of the floor, Rutgers isn't much better. Big Ten opponents are sinking 41% of their 3-point looks and grabbing 36% of their own rebounds, each ranking near the bottom of the conference.
Six straight losses were punctuated by a blowout loss at UCLA, where the Bruins scored 1.55 points per possession, the second-worst defensive performance by a Rutgers team this century. That's almost impressive considering some of those Knights teams.
Nebraska vs Rutgers Pick, Betting Analysis
Nebraska is, in my estimation, the real deal and has a chance to make waves this March. Rutgers is a mess that should inspire no confidence right now.
But, we're talking about the Scarlet Knights at home, in the building previously lovingly known as The RAC.
There's something funky about certain programs in certain buildings, and this one qualifies. Since 2006, Rutgers has gone 30-17 ATS as a home underdog of eight or more points. Since 2016, the Scarlet Knights are 9-3 in those situations.
Rutgers has won outright eight times as an underdog of eight or more since 2006 against big programs and teams with March ambitions, most notably the 2015 Wisconsin team that was national runner-up.
Beyond the magic of the Jersey Mike's Arena, there's reason to think Nebraska lays a dud.
The Huskers are one of the most 3-point happy teams in the country and have been hot. Even in Nebraska's back-to-back losses, it has hit 39% from deep and is shooting 40% as a team since Jan. 10.
If there's a time and place to go ice cold, it's noon in Piscataway, New Jersey.
My Pick: Rutgers +12.5 (Play to +11)
