Indiana Hoosiers vs. Rutgers Scarlet Knights Betting Preview

It’s day two of the 2021 Big Ten Tournament, and there will be four games taking place on Thursday. The top four seeds are still waiting to get started on Friday, but their opponents will be determined on Thursday.

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are the seven seed in the Big Ten Tournament, and they will take on the 10th seeded Indiana Hoosiers. It was Rutgers that won both of the regular-season matchups this season, and that could give them some momentum.

Indiana is looking to make a late run into the NCAA Tournament field, but they will need to win a few games at the Big Ten Tournament. Rutgers should be an NCAA Tournament team this season, but a win on Thursday should keep the same from the bubble.

The winner of this game advances to take on the Illinois Fighting Illini on Friday night. The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are three-point favorites in this matchup with the Indiana Hoosiers.

Hoosiers Hoping to Catch Fire

The Indiana Hoosiers are hoping to catch fire in this event, and they will need to make some shots if they want to pull off this upset. Indiana is shooting 33 percent from the three-point line, but there are some terrific shooters on the floor.

Al Durham and Armaan Franklin will be big keys for this team, as the veteran guards are both scoring more than 12 points per game. Forward Trayce Jackson-Davis leads the way with 19.9 points and 9 rebounds per game, and he has the ability to take over a game.

Indiana is a terrific defensive team, but they must find a way to score if they want to advance. 

Rutgers Wants to Slow it Down

Rutgers started off the season as an explosive offensive team, but they have started to really slow things down. The Scarlet Knights are scoring just 70 points per game while holding opponents to around that same number.

Rutgers is shooting just 31 percent from deep this season, and Ron Harper Jr. went through a long shooting slump that really affected the play of this team. Harper still leads the team with 15.3 points per game, but the Scarlet Knights need more from the star.

Center Myles Johnson will also play a key role in this game as he will have to contend with Jackson-Davis on the defensive end of the floor. 

Hoosiers Keep Hope Alive

Indiana is likely going to need at least three wins in the Big Ten Tournament to be considered for the NCAA Tournament. The Hoosiers will face some tough competition along the way, but this is a very winnable game.

Rutgers just hasn’t looked themselves for the past few weeks, and they don’t score enough points to come away with a comfortable win. The Scarlet Knights have the ability to make shots, but they have been struggling of late.

Look for Indiana to take control of this game on the defensive end of the floor, and Jackson-Davis will lead the way on offense. The Hoosiers will keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive with a win on Thursday night.

Take the Indiana Hoosiers money line over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.

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