Notre Dame Vs. Rutgers Odds, Picks, and Predictions (3/16/22)

Wednesday night will be the college basketball equivalent of Christmas Eve, and we are receiving an early gift in the form of what will be an ultra-competitive matchup between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. In my humble opinion, it seems crazy to put Rutgers or Notre Dame in a play-in game instead of the Michigan Wolverines, but I am obviously not the committee. The Scarlet Knights finished the Big 10 season with the same record as Ohio State, and the Buckeyes received a No. 7 seed. Additionally, Rutgers was ahead of Michigan in the Big 10 and finished with a better overall record. Regardless, this game will also be played in Dayton, which does give a slight advantage to the Fighting Irish; however, I could see Rutgers’ fans traveling fairly well for this. Check out my analysis on both teams and my opinion on the outcome for this game below!

Notre Dame Vs. Rutgers Betting Odds

Notre Dame Betting Odds

The motor all season for this Fighting Irish team has been Blake Wesley. Wesley has led the Irish in scoring, posting just shy of 15 points per game as a freshman. The tri-headed offensive attack of Wesley, Paul Atkinson Jr, and Dane Goodwin has helped the Irish rank 28th in team eFG% (effective field goal percentage) and 20th in team 3P% (three-point percentage.) KenPom has this team ranked 52nd in the NCAA (and 29th in adjusted offensive efficiency), only a few spots behind the No.4-seeded Providence Friars. The most recent loss to Virginia Tech could scare people off the Irish, but at least the Hokies ended up winning the ACC and with a respectable overall record.

Rutgers Betting Odds

Rutgers was a pleasant surprise in the Big 10 this season. Many experts predicted the Scarlet Knights would finish between eighth and tenth in the league. Still, they exceeded expectations, largely behind the splendid play of Ron Harper Jr, Geo Baker, and Clifford Omoruyi. Additionally, as a facilitator, Paul Mulcahy helps run the offense and averages over five assists per game. The Scarlet Knights are not incredibly deep on their roster, but they have plenty of players in the starting lineup who can make big plays late in a game. KenPom does not have Rutgers ranked very well as it stands at 74th in the nation in adjusted efficiency margin, which is behind the likes of South Dakota State and Chattanooga.

Notre Dame Vs. Rutgers Prediction

I think Notre Dame is a slight favorite to win this matchup, and I would be lying if I said that the game’s location did not play a slight factor in that decision. Regardless, the Fighting Irish have a top-tier offense and plenty of options on that end of the floor if one player has an off game. Rutgers is a strong team that plays with grit, keeping the matchup close. This may be a game that I stay off of, but I would lean slightly towards the Irish if I had to choose.

March Madness Bracket