Wisconsin at Rutgers College Basketball Picks & Predictions 1/5/2018

Friday, January 5, 2018

Louis Brown Athletic Center

Get todays College basketball odds and lines on this game.

The Wisconsin Badgers head to Louis Brown Athletic Center to take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Friday, January 5, 2018. The opening line for this matchup has Wisconsin as 1.5 point favorites.

Wisconsin heads into this matchup with a mark of 9-7. They currently have a point differential of 5.1 as they are averaging 70.3 points per contest while giving up 65.1 per game. Rutgers has an overall record of 10-6. They are averaging 70.5 points per game and surrendering 60.9, good for a point differential of 9.6.

Valuable Wisconsin Badgers Betting Trends

The Wisconsin Badgers are 5-8 against the spread this season

The Wisconsin Badgers are 7-6 against the over/under this year

Important Rutgers Scarlet Knights Betting Trends

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are 4-2 against the spread this season

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are 3-5 against the over/under this year

Key Wisconsin Badgers Injuries

12/11/17 G Kobe King Knee is out for season
12/09/17 G D'Mitrik Trice Foot is out indefinitely
01/04/18 G Brevin Pritzl Concussion is "?" Friday vs Rutgers

Key Rutgers Scarlet Knights Injuries

No key injuries to report

Player Spotlight

Ethan Happ averages 17.1 points per contest while playing 29 minutes per night this year. He grabs 8.3 rebounds per contest and distributes 3.5 assists per game. His FG percentage is 38% while his free throw percentage is 56%. Brad Davison averages 11.9 points per contest in 28.8 minutes per game this year. He averages 2 assists per game and 1.9 rebounds per contest. His field goal percentage is 43% for the season while his free throw percentage is 78%.

Player Spotlight

Corey Sanders scores 13.2 points per contest while playing 31.3 minutes per game this season. He hauls in 4.6 rebounds per contest and has 3.4 assists per game on the season. His FG percentage is 38% and his free throw percentage is at 76%. Geo Baker averages 11.9 points per game this year and he sees the court an average of 32.3 minutes per game. He also brings in 2.8 rebounds per game and has 3.8 assists per contest. His field goal percentage is 42% and his free throw percentage is 81%.

Useful Team Statistics

Wisconsin averages 70.3 points per contest this year, which is 274th in the nation. Their average scoring margin is 5.1 and their shooting percentage is 47% as a unit, which has them ranked 96th. From 3-point territory they shoot 36%, which is good for 134th in Division 1. They average 31.7 boards per contest and 12.9 assists per game, which ranks them 333rd and 244th in those offensive categories. In the turnover department they are 331st with 11.2 per game. The Badgers allow 65.1 points per contest, which is 38th in the country. They also surrender a 46% shooting percentage and a 36% average from 3-point range, ranking them 284th and 252nd in defensive field goal percentage. Opponents average 28.9 rebounds a game which ranks 2nd, and they allow 11.5 assists per game which puts them in 68th place in college basketball. They force 12.1 turnovers per game which ranks them 57th in D-1.

Useful Team Statistics

Rutgers is 273rd in the country with 70.5 points per contest this season. They are 313th in the nation in shooting at 41%, while their average scoring margin is 9.6. They shoot 29% from beyond the arc, which is good for 344th in Division 1. They are 6th in the country in rebounding with 43.5 boards per contest and 324th in assists per game with 11.4. The Scarlet Knights are 325th in turnovers per contest with 11.4. The Scarlet Knights give up 60.9 points per game, which ranks them 9th in the nation. Their defense surrenders a 38% shooting percentage and a 30% average from behind the 3-point line, ranking them 9th and 31st in those defensive statistics. They rank 61st with 11.4 dimes allowed per game and 279th with 37.6 boards surrendered per contest. The Scarlet Knights are 290th in college basketball in forcing turnovers with 15.8 per contest this year.

Advanced Statistics

The Badgers are 177th in the country in defensive rating with 100.7, and their offensive rating of 108.6 is ranked 112th. They are 348th in college basketball in pace with 64.7 possessions per 40 minutes, and their eFG% of 53% is 108th. As a unit they are 117th in the nation in true shooting percentage with 56% and they shoot 3-pointers on 36% of their shot attempts, ranking 215th in D-1. Wisconsin is 263rd in turnovers, as they turn the ball over an average of 15.2 times per 100 possessions while forcing 16.7 on defense. Their defensive eFG% for the year currently is 51%, which is 237th in the country.

Advanced Statistics

Rutgers is 336th in college basketball in turnovers, as they turn the ball over an average of 13.3 times per 100 possessions while forcing 19.3 on the defensive end. Their defensive effective field goal percentage for the season currently is 43%, which is 10th in the nation. The Scarlet Knights are 255th in the country in offensive rating with 100.3, and their defensive rating of 86.7 is ranked 8th. In terms of pace they are 226th in Division 1 with 69.8 possessions per 40 minutes, and their effective field goal percentage of 45% is 342nd. As a team they are 346th in D-1 in true shooting percentage with 48% and they shoot 3-pointers on 25% of their shots, ranking 344th in the nation.

Who will win tonight's Wisconsin/Rutgers college basketball game against the spread?

Guy's Pick: Take Wisconsin -1.5

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