The Rutgers Scarlet Knights take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in Las Vegas, NV, as part of the Players Era Festival. Tip-off is set for 10:30 p.m. ET on TBS.
The Scarlet Knights are favored by 2 points on the spread with a moneyline of -122. The total is set at 146 points.
Here’s my Rutgers vs. Notre Dame predictions and college basketball picks for November 26, 2024.
Rutgers vs Notre Dame Prediction
My Pick: Rutgers -1.5
My Rutgers vs Notre Dame best bet is on the Scarlet Knights spread, with the best odds currently available at FanDuel. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Rutgers vs Notre Dame Odds, Spread, Pick
| Rutgers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -110 | 145.5 -110 / -110 | -120 |
| Notre Dame Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -110 | 145.5 -110 / -110 | +100 |
- Rutgers vs Notre Dame spread: Rutgers -1.5
- Rutgers vs Notre Dame over/under: 145.5 points
- Rutgers vs Notre Dame moneyline: Rutgers -120, Notre Dame +100
- Rutgers vs Notre Dame best bet: Rutgers -1.5
My Rutgers vs Notre Dame College Basketball Betting Preview
Is Rutgers fraudulent? That was the overwhelming question following the Scarlet Knights' loss to Kennesaw State on Sunday.
The Scarlet Knights' freshman tandem of Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey have met expectations. Harper has often flashed as Rutgers' best player, as he is averaging 19 points, five rebounds and five assists per game. Bailey is averaging 19 points a night in three games after missing the first two with an injury.
Harper is an ideal modern-day big guard who can drive and put pressure on the rim, but he loves to get good looks for his teammates, too.
Bailey is also a modern-type player, as his 6-foot-10 wiry frame and knockdown shooting prowess creates mismatches. It's a tough feeling when Bailey drills a jumper over good defense, but he's that type of prospect.
For Rutgers to have a chance to match preseason expectations, forwards Lathan Sommerville and Emmanuel Ogbole have to step up. The two struggled dramatically in the loss to Kennesaw State, as the Owls pummeled Rutgers on the glass.
Steve Pikiell needs his veteran transfers — Zach Martini, Jordan Derkack and PJ Hayes IV — to continue playing large roles. Martini and Hayes provide extra shooting, as both shoot over 45% from 3. You can't sag off the two veterans to pack the lane for Harper, so there's a ton of value in having them on the floor.
I'm not willing to sound the alarm on Rutgers just yet. Remember, the Scarlet Knights' two best players are young. Sometimes, young players endure ups and downs — especially in road games — and playing mid-majors on the road is difficult.
Notre Dame Basketball
Micah Shresberry faced a bit of a turbulent first season in South Bend, finishing 13-20 with occasional flashes of momentum for a youthful team.
Heading into a game against Elon, Notre Dame needed a win to enter this MTE unbeaten. Instead, the Irish allowed 84 points on 1.31 PPP en route to a devastating home loss.
So, Notre Dame and Rutgers mirror one another — both took disappointing losses as huge favorites to mid-major teams.
The question is: Which can shake off the losing taste?
Shrewsberry returned to his offensive coaching roots this year. Last year's roster gave Shrews no chance but to pivot and focus more on defense.
Now with his two stud sophomores — Markus Burton and Braeden Shrewsberry — with a year under their belt and a sniper in Matt Allocco, it makes life easier offensively.
Notre Dame is the 52nd-most efficient offense in the sport. The offensive success comes with a caveat, though. The Fighting Irish went from an elite defense to the 104th-ranked defense.
So, what happened to Notre Dame's defense? Teams are attempting and making more 3s. It's not rocket science; elite defensive teams can typically slow teams down from 3, but Notre Dame struggles there.
Burton is a program-changer for Notre Dame.
Now a sophomore, Burton has morphed into a top-tier guard in the country, as he's averaging 21 points, five rebounds and five assists per game. He scored 25+ points in each of the past two games, but he will face some tough defense from either Harper or Derkack, who are much-taller than the 5-foot-10 guard.
Shrewsberry, meanwhile, is more than the coach's son; he's a legitimate game-changer. He's a knockdown shooter who is second on the team in scoring with 14.7 points per game.
Rutgers vs Notre Dame Betting Analysis
First, I think Rutgers is a more talented team from top-to-bottom.
I don't trust the Fighting Irish for a couple reasons. I don't trust Notre Dame's defense at all. Losing to Elon is one thing, but Notre Dame was pretty fortunate to beat a dreadful Buffalo team by nine points.
In both games, Notre Dame allowed 77+ points, and both teams have bigger guards that caused problems.
That's not ideal against Rutgers since Harper is 6-foot-6 and his backup — Jeremiah Williams — stands at 6-foot-4 and can drive smaller guards to the hoop.
The market is probably the lowest it will get on Rutgers. I never believed in Rutgers as preseason top-25 team, but the talent is undeniable, and I love it in a bounce back spot facing a team I don't trust.
