The UNLV Rebels take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in Paradise, NV, in the Players Era Festival. Tip-off is set for 4:30 p.m. ET on truTV.
UNLV is favored by -3.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -184. The total is set at 154.5 points.
Here’s my UNLV vs. Rutgers predictions and college basketball picks for November 27, 2025.
UNLV vs Rutgers Prediction
My Pick: Rutgers +3.5
My UNLV 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.
UNLV vs. Rutgers Odds
| UNLV Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-3.5 -110 | 154.5 -110 / -110 | -184 |
| Rutgers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+3.5 -110 | 154.5 -110 / -110 | +152 |
- UNLV vs Rutgers spread: UNLV -3.5
- UNLV vs Rutgers over/under: 154.5 points
- UNLV vs Rutgers moneyline: UNLV -184, Rutgers +152
UNLV vs Rutgers College Basketball Betting Preview
Rutgers' participation in the Players Era Festival might be the worst thing for the program. The Scarlet Knights kept their lack of talent close to the vest by playing four teams ranked between 284 and 316 in KenPom to start the season.
Then Central Connecticut State dealt Rutgers an upset loss by holding the Scarlet Knights to 0.87 PPP. In Vegas, Rutgers took a beating from Tennessee, losing by 25 and trailing by more than 30. Rutgers lost to Notre Dame on Tuesday, but the game was fairly close.
The biggest issue facing Rutgers is a serious lack of scoring inside the arc. It shoots a brutal 46.9% from 2-point range to go with a 48.2% effective field goal percentage.
At least Dylan Grant can provide some inside-the-arc pop. The Canadian forward flashes explosive athleticism and leads the Scarlet Knights with 15.2 points per game.
However, they'll need more from starting guards Jamichael Davis and Tariq Francis. In the loss to Notre Dame, Davis scored 21 points and hit 5-for-8 shots from 3. He tends to struggle against taller guards due to his dicey decision-making on drives.
As is the case for most Steve Pikiell-coached squads, defense is the name of the game. Still, the Scarlet Knights' strength is underwhelming, as they rank 119th in defensive efficiency. They excel at keeping teams from scoring inside, holding opponents to 43.2% shooting from inside the arc.
On the flip side, opponents light the rims up from deep, shooting 38% from downtown. The perimeter shooting can ebb and flow, so I expect Rutgers to be a top 75-100 defense as time rolls on.
Meanwhile, it's been a strange season for the Rebels. They lost to UT Martin and Montana, but they beat Memphis in blowout fashion.
Josh Pastner wants his squad to play fast, ranking 11th in adjusted tempo. The Rebs scored 80+ points in four of their six games, so putting up lofty scoring numbers is big for them. While Rutgers wants a slower-paced, defensive battle, UNLV needs a high-scoring game.
It’s a true battle of styles. The Rebels' shooting has to turn around for them to beat high-major squads, even ones as bad as Rutgers. UNLV is shooting 28% from deep this year — and freshman stud Issac Williamson is the only rotation player hitting above 33% from deep.
Williamson and Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn will have a big impact on what happens in this game — win or lose. Gibbs-Lawhorn, a former top-100 recruit who began at Illinois, is a bit of a shot chucker. He can put up 25 points, but it might take 25 shots to happen.
Williamson is a bit more efficient and is a more reliable player.
UNLV has a very athletic lineup that lacks the ideal interior big man. At the five, Tyrin Jones is a promising prospect, with his long arms and athleticism, but he’s wiry at 6-foot-9, 190 pounds.
As I touched on, Rutgers is far from perfect on the interior. The Scarlet Knights' interior should do well against the more undersized UNLV bigs. The key to a Rutgers win is getting to the foul line. The Scarlet Knights rank 64th in KenPom’s FTA/FGA metric, and UNLV fouls a lot.
That’s the perfect way to make up for offensive deficiencies.
I’m rolling with the Scarlet Knights here.
My Pick: Rutgers +3.5
