Wisconsin vs. Rutgers Prediction: Odds, Key Matchups, and What to Watch
Greg Gard’s squad looks to move to 5-2 in Big Ten play against a Rutgers team that hasn't found its footing away from home.
Game Info
Who: Rutgers Scarlet Knights (9-8, 2-4 B1G) at Wisconsin Badgers (12-5, 4-2 B1G)
When: Saturday, Jan. 17 | 1:00 PM CT
Where: Kohl Center — Madison, WI
TV: BTN (Big Ten Network)
Radio: Badger Sports Network
Key Players
John Blackwell (Wisconsin): The hottest hand in the B1G. Fresh off a 27-point night and a buzzer-beater against Minnesota. He’s averaging 18.6 PPG and has become the definitive “go-to” guy in clutch time.
Tariq Francis (Rutgers): The Scarlet Knights’ engine. The NJIT transfer is a volume scorer (16.4 PPG) who can keep Rutgers in any game if he finds his rhythm from deep. Francis, however, is shooting just 30% from three on the road this season.
Aleksas Bieliauskas (Wisconsin): With Austin Rapp missing the last three games, Bieliauskas’ ability to stretch the floor (5 threes vs. Michigan) could be a secret weapon that breaks Rutgers’ interior defense.
Something I’m Watching: The “Pace Trap”
Rutgers wants this to be a 60-point grind. Wisconsin has been at its best lately, playing “Small Ball” and pushing the tempo to 80+. If the Badgers get sucked into a physical, half-court wrestling match, the Scarlet Knights might think they can steal this game.
The Badgers are currently 100th in the country in possessions per game, averaging 73.2 possessions per game. Rutgers, on the other hand, is 277th in the country with 69.3 possessions per game.
When Wisconsin is rolling, shots are falling, and they are getting up and down the floor. If Wisconsin can control the pace of the game and speed Rutgers up, I like Wisconsin’s chances.
The Prediction
The Badgers return to the Kohl Center after trips to Ann Arbor and Minneapolis. Students are back, the Badgers are riding a three-game win streak where they took down the No. 2 team on the road and hit a buzzer-beating game-winner against their border rivals.
Vibes are high right now.
The Kohl Center should be lively on Saturday afternoon. With the Badgers’ confidence level and Rutgers’ lack of success on the road (1-5 away or neutral games), the Badgers should win this game. But that’s what makes a trap game a trap game, right? Wisconsin is seemingly starting an easier part of its schedule. Can they stay focused? I think, like usually, it will be closer than it should be, but the Badgers come out on top.
Final Score: Wisconsin 81, Rutgers 69
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