Minnesota Golden Gophers vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights Prediction, Picks and Game Preview - 02/01/2023

Game Time: 8:30 pm ET, Wednesday, February 1, 2023

Venue:  Jersey Mike’s Arena, Piscataway, NJ 

Where to Watch:  Big Ten Network

DraftKings:  Point Spread:  Minnesota +15, Rutgers -15; Over/Under:  122.5 points

Bet365:  Point Spread:  Minnesota +15, Rutgers -15; Over/Under:  122.5 points

BetMGM:  Point Spread:  Minnesota +15, Rutgers -15; Over/Under:  122.5 points

Minnesota Golden Gophers:  7-13 (1-9) (14th place, Big Ten)

Rutgers Scarlet Knights:  14-7 (6-4) (5th place, Big Ten)

Do not miss out on our expert handicapper analysis! Will Rogers is on a CBB HOT STREAK on a 24-9-1 COLLEGE HOOPS RUN! Make sure you check out his picks and many more from the expert handicappers featured in the Shop Picks section.

Minnesota Golden Gophers:  0-5  last 5

Rutgers Scarlet Knights:  3-2  last 5

Minnesota is coming into this game with a 7-13 record overall and they are 1-5 in their road games this season where they will be in this game. They are also 1-9 in their conference games this season as well. They are entering this game on a 5 game losing streak with losses coming against the Illinois Fighting Illini, the Purdue Boilermakers, the Michigan Wolverines, the Indiana Hoosiers, and the Northwestern Wildcats in their last game. Jamison Battle led the team in points in that game with 20 while Ta'Lon Cooper was next on the team with 12 points. Ta'Lon Cooper led the team in assists in that game with 5 while Will Ramberg led the team in rebounds with 7. They were 45.5% from the field, 27.8% from 3-point range, and 61.5% from the free throw line with their shooting in that game. Their offense is averaging 62.1 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 67.7 PPG against them. Minnesota has an ATS record of 8-11-1 this season and their O/U record is 6-14.

Rutgers is coming into this game with a 14-7 record overall and they are 12-2 in their home games this season where they will be in this game. They are also 6-4 in their conference schedule this season as well. They are entering this game off of a loss against the Iowa Hawkeyes in their last game. Aundre Hyatt led the team in points in that game with 16 while Clifford Omoruyi was next on the team with 15 points. Paul Mulcahy led the team in assists in that game with 13 while Clifford Omoruyi led the team in rebounds with 8. They were 50.8% from the field, 40% from 3-point range, and 71.4% from the free throw line with their shooting in that game. Their offense is averaging 70.5 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 58.7 PPG against them. Rutgers has an ATS record of 14-7 this season and their O/U record is 9-12.

The current betting odds have Rutgers listed as a 15 point favorite in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. Rutgers is only 14-7 overall this season and they have been struggling a bit in their conference games with a 6-4 conference record, but they have still played well enough in the Big Ten and they have really been good on their home court all year with their 12-2 home record. Minnesota is entering this game with a 7-13 record overall and they are also 1-9 in their conference games as they are the worst team in the Big Ten this season. They have been terrible in their road games too with a 1-5 road record and they even enter this game losing 5 games in a row. Rutgers also lost their last game but it was on the road where they haven't been as good and they put up an embarrassing performance in that game which they will be looking to rectify with a much better one here on their home court. Rutgers will bounce back here at home in a big way and really beat up on one of the worst teams in the Big Ten Conference. The best way to place a bet here is on Rutgers to cover the spread in this game.

Minnesota Rutgers Prediction:  Our NCAAB Pick for Wednesday, February 1, 2023 (8:30 pm ET start time) is Rutgers 77 Minnesota 55.

Don't miss our champion handicappers free picks and expert basketball picks today. And if you enjoyed this Minnesota Golden Gophers Rutgers Scarlet Knights prediction, be sure to drop by every day for our weekly NCAAB predictions and previews.

Minnesota Golden Gophers: 10-17 ATS in road games. 8-14 ATS after playing a game as a road underdog. 10-0 UNDER after a game where they failed to cover the spread.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights: 14-7 ATS in all games. 11-3 ATS in all home games. 14-5 UNDER after playing a game as a road underdog.

Minnesota Golden Gophers:  D. Garcia (F) Ques Wed - Ankle. B. Carrington (G) Mid Feb - Leg. I. Ihnen (F) out for season - Knee. P. Fox (F) out for season - Knee.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights:  None.

“(It) didn’t seem like we valued much on either side of the ball. Having 15 turnovers, obviously, to finish the game and not giving yourself a chance possession-wise.… We weren’t an engaged group that was going to be able to make this a fight.” - Ben Johnson after his team’s loss against Northwestern in their last game.

“I just want to congratulate Iowa. Iowa played great today. Also, Patrick McCaffery, I am happy that he got back playing.  You always want your players to be healthy and happy. They played really well. Obviously you can’t turn the ball over 18 times against a team like this that can score like that, and they really had it going. Coach (Fran McCaffery) does a great job, and they have got a lot of weapons. We didn’t stop Kris Murray. They got to the free-throw line.  We turned the ball over way too many times too. We made it a game with eight minutes left, a one-point game. But we were fighting the entire game.” - Steve Pikiell after his team’s loss against Iowa in their last game.

J. Battle 

T. Cooper 

D. Garcia 

J. Ola-Joseph 

T. Samuels

M. Mag  

C. McConnell 

P. Mulcahy 

C. Omoruyi 

C. Spencer

PPG: D. Garcia (14.9)

APG: T. Cooper (5.7)

Reb/G: D. Garcia (6.3)

PPG: C. Omoruyi (13.4)

APG: P. Mulcahy (4.8)

Reb/G: C. Omoruyi (10)

Coaches:

Minnesota Golden Gophers: Ben Johnson (2nd season)

Rutgers Scarlet Knights: Steve Pikiell (7th season)