The Rutgers Scarlet Knights take on the Penn State Nittany Lions in University Park, PA. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. ET on BTN.
Penn State is favored by 3.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -205. The total is set at 148.5 points.
Here’s my Rutgers vs. Penn State prediction and college basketball picks for February 18, 2026.
Rutgers vs Penn State Prediction
My Pick: Penn State -3.5
My Rutgers vs Penn State best bet is on the Nittany Lions 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.
Rutgers vs. Penn State Odds
| Rutgers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+3.5 -102 | 148.5 -110 / -110 | +168 |
| Penn State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-3.5 -120 | 148.5 -110 / -110 | -205 |
- Rutgers vs Penn State spread: Penn State -3.5
- Rutgers vs Penn State over/under: 148.5 points
- Rutgers vs Penn State moneyline: Rutgers +168, Penn State -205
Rutgers vs Penn State College Basketball Betting Preview
Rutgers Basketball
The Scarlet Knights sit at 10-15 overall and 3-11 in Big Ten play after their 68-57 win over Maryland that snapped a seven-game losing streak.
Rutgers has had a rough go at it offensively this season. The Scarlet Knights' average distance on 2-point attempts is eight feet, which is 359th in the country. As a team, it shoots 46% from 2 (343rd) and 32% from 3 (273rd).
To make matters worse, Rutgers is one of the worst transition teams in college basketball. It's shooting 89-of-205 (43.4%) in transition, ranking it in the second percentile of points per possession, via Synergy.
So far this season, the Scarlet Knights are 0-7 on the road, averaging 66 points per game.
Tariq Francis is their leading scorer, averaging 16.6 points per game, but when it comes to non-home games, Francis averages 12 points a night on 42/32/85 shooting splits.
Penn State Basketball
Penn State is coming off an 83-72 loss at Oregon and now sits at 11-15 overall and 2-13 in the Big Ten.
Since the start of conference play, the Nittany Lions have been one of the worst defenses in the country. They're last in 3-point defense (41.8%) and defensive effective field goal percentage (61%). Though they have the worst defense in the Big Ten, Penn State is third in the conference in steal percentage and sixth in forcing turnovers.
The Nittany Lions have three players averaging double figures, Freddie Dilione V (14.4 PPG), Kayden Mingo (13.9 PPG) and Josh Reed (10.8 PPG).
Offensively, Penn State doesn't do anything great, but it ranks fourth in the Big Ten in tempo and looks to utilize its guards in the pick-and-roll, where they're shooting 137-of-269 (51%) from the field.
With Dilione and Mingo operating the two-man game as the ball handler, it allows the Nittany Lions' leading 3-point shooter — Dominick Stewart — to roam off-ball for spot-up opportunities.
Rutgers vs. Penn State Betting Analysis
Rutgers has yet to win a road game this season, while Penn State plays its best basketball at home.
The Nittany Lions are 8-8 at home this season, with two of their losses coming against Michigan and Michigan State by a combined six points.
Though Penn State hasn't done it often, it's an efficient transition team, averaging 1.137 PPP, per Synergy. I expect to see Penn State get out and run against a Rutgers transition defense that gives up 1.184 PPP.
This will be a much-needed win for Penn State against a Rutgers team that plays poorly on the road.
My Pick: Penn State -3.5
