Ohio State Buckeyes vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights Predictions, Picks, Odds, and NCAA Basketball Betting Preview – January 9 2021

The Ohio State Buckeyes can use a win against a ranked opponent to boost their resume for March. That opportunity comes for them on Saturday against the same team they beat just last month in the form of the No. 15 Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Will the Buckeyes go 2-0 straight up against Rutgers this season? Or will the Scarlet Knights defend their home against Ohio State?

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Betting Preview for the Ohio State Buckeyes vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights NCAA College Basketball Game on January 9 2021

Where: Rutgers Athletic Center, Piscataway

When: Saturday, January 9, 2021, TBA PM ET

Line: Ohio State Buckeyes (odds) vs. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (odds) – view all 2021 NCAAB lines

TV Broadcast: TBA

Betting on the Ohio State Buckeyes (odds)

Record: 8-3 Overall / 2-3 Conference

The Buckeyes couldn’t handle the challenge of the No. 21 Minnesota Golden Gophers on Sunday, as they ate a 77-60 road loss. It was the second loss of Ohio State in three games. Despite the loss, guard Duane Washington managed to shine in that game, as he scored 21 points, though support was hard to come by for him, with just EJ Liddell as the other Buckeye scoring at least 10 points. It was much better for the Buckeyes when they defeated Rutgers last December in Columbus, 80-68. Washington scored 22 points, while Liddell and Kyle Young had 21 and 17 points, respectively. Ohio State dominated the rebounding battle, 40-20, against the Scarlett Knights, who didn’t have starting center Clifford Omoruyi due to a knee injury. Omoruyi has yet to play this year and that might be the case again this Saturday in Piscataway.

Ohio State is averaging 76.3 points per game and 114.7 points per 100 possessions – the 10th best in Division I.

Ohio State is 5-1 straight up and against the spread in its last six games against Rutgers.

Betting on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (odds)

Record: 7-3 Overall / 3-2 Conference

After a strong start to the season, winning six games in a row, the Scarlet Knights are now experiencing some rough sailing in conference play. Rutgers is 1-3 straight up in its last four games, including their back-to-back losses to the Iowa Hawkeyes (77-75) at home on Jan. 2 and to the Michigan State Spartans (68-45) in East Lansing last Tuesday. The Scarlet Knights need to regain their confidence on offense. They have shot just 37.7 percent from the field in their last two games. When they lost to Ohio State in December, the Scarlet Knights shot just 41.4 percent from the floor but hit 10 of their 25 shots from deep.  Ron Harper Jr. carries most of the scoring burden for Rutgers, which is averaging 76.5 points per game. Harper scored 20 points and grabbed six rebounds in the loss to Ohio State. If Omoruyi gets ruled out again, the Scarlet Knight will hope for Myles Johnson, Mamadou Doucoure, and Dean Reiber to split duties in the front court. Rutgers’ front court has a size advantage over Ohio State with the Scarlet Knights featuring four players measuring at least 6-10.

Rutgers is 5-2 against the spread in its last seven games overall.

Writer’s Prediction

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights win, 70-69.

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