The Michigan Wolverines will be in essentially a must-win position when they face the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Thursday night. Michigan snapped a two-game losing streak with a win against Michigan State on Saturday, keeping its slim NCAA Tournament hopes alive. Rutgers is coming off a 58-57 win at Wisconsin over the weekend, snapping a three-game losing streak.
Tipoff is set for 8:30 p.m. ET. The Scarlet Knights are favored by 5.5 points in the latest Michigan vs. Rutgers odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under is set at 135. Before entering any Rutgers vs. Michigan picks, you'll want to see the college basketball predictions from the model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. The model enters Week 16 of the season 71-42 on all top-rated college basketball picks this season, returning more than $1,700 for $100 players. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Michigan vs. Rutgers. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball odds for Rutgers vs. Michigan:
- Michigan vs. Rutgers spread: Rutgers -5.5
- Michigan vs. Rutgers over/under: 135 points
- Michigan vs. Rutgers money line: Rutgers -245, Michigan +205
- Michigan vs. Rutgers picks: See picks here
Why Rutgers can cover
Rutgers was able to get back on track with a 58-57 win at Wisconsin on Saturday after losing three straight games by 10 points or less. The Scarlet Knights were able to hold on against the Badgers when big man Clifford Omoruyi blocked a shot as time expired. Cam Spencer led the way offensively with 22 points on 7 of 14 shooting, including 6 of 10 from 3-point range.
Michigan is dealing with some key injuries right now, including second-leading scorer Jett Howard, who is a game-time decision after suffering an ankle injury against Michigan State. Terrance Williams II (6.8 points, 6.1 rebounds) has missed two straight games due to a knee contusion and is also questionable. Rutgers is 13-7 against the spread in its last 20 games, while Michigan has only covered once in its last six road games.
Why Michigan can cover
Michigan is in desperate need of another win if it wants to start a late-season push towards an NCAA Tournament berth. The Wolverines were able to keep their at-large hopes alive with a win over Michigan State on Saturday, winning the rebounding battle by a tally of 38-25. They grabbed 14 offensive rebounds after allowing 15 offensive rebounds against Wisconsin in their previous game.
Rutgers is dealing with an injury issue of its own, as top defender and fourth-leading scorer Caleb McConnell had back spasms before the win at Wisconsin and wound up not playing. He is expected to be sidelined again on Thursday night, leaving the Scarlet Knights without a key defensive presence. Michigan is 15-1 all-time against Rutgers and has covered the spread five of the last seven meetings.
How to make Rutgers vs. Michigan picks
The model has simulated Michigan vs. Rutgers 10,000 times and the results are in. The model is leaning Over, and it's also generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in more than 50% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Rutgers vs. Michigan? And which side of the spread is hitting more than 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is 71-42 on its top-rated college basketball picks this season, and find out.
