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Bet Underdog Rutgers to Win and Cover vs Wake Forest

· Dec 06 - 4 minutes read

When Wake Forest hit the road to face Rutgers last season, the Scarlet Knights put on a dominant performance. Are the Demon Deacons ready to return the favor? Wake Forest is the favorite according to our NCAAB lines.

In the previous matchup, Clifford Omoruyi had 14 points and nine rebounds as Rutgers rolled to an 81-57 victory as a 9.5-point favorite. That was the first time that Rutgers and Wake Forest squared off since 2015.

Bet Underdog Rutgers to Win and Cover vs Wake Forest

This will be the only true road game for Rutgers until January.

First road test tonight. 🛣️

🏀: Wake Forest
⏰: 6 p.m.
📺: @accnetwork
📻: @wcbs880 #TheKnighthood🛡️⚔️ pic.twitter.com/BlQ8CjZO3x

— Rutgers Men’s Basketball 🏀 (@RutgersMBB) December 6, 2023

Rutgers was 4-6-1 against the spread on the road last season and 3-5 as the road underdog. Wake Forest was 8-7-1 ATS at home a season ago but only 5-6-1 as the home favorite.

Our college basketball odds list Wake Forest as a 3-point favorites. The Demon Deacons have gone 1-1 against the spread as the home favorite so far this season.

Forward Mawot Mag, center Emmanuel Ogboie, and guard Jeremiah Williams are all still out for Rutgers.

For Wake Forest, guards Jao Ituka and Damari Monsanto and forward Efton Reid are out. Monsanto had 22 points off the bench in last year’s meeting with Rutgers.

When looking at our college basketball future odds, Wake Forest is priced at +25000 to win the national championship.

Neither Rutgers nor Wake Forest are receiving votes in the national polls.

Penn State Needs to Get Defensive

Defense is the calling card for Rutgers. However, the Scarlet Knights allowed Illinois to put up 76 points in their last game, the most allowed by Rutgers this season.

Being outrebounded 55-27 (19-9 in offensive rebounds) didn’t help.

The starting lineup was just 11 of 38 from the field as no Rutgers player had more than nine points in the 76-58 loss.

Rutgers looks to get back to the team that ranks sixth nationally in scoring defense and 13th in blocked shots per game.

Rutgers has covered against the Vegas college basketball odds in four of its last six games.

Big Four Leads Wake Forest

It is pretty clear that when Wake Forest is on offense, the ball will be going into the hands of Hunter Sallis, Cameron Hildreth, Kevin Miller and Andrew Carr. They combine for the team’s 88% of the points and 84% of the field-goal attempts.

Sallis transferred in from Gonzaga. Miller is a Central Michigan transfer while Hildreth and Carr are returning starters.

All four players are scoring at least 16 points per game. However, in the three losses this season, bench points are 42-18 in favor of the opposing team.

Wake Forest is 4-2 against the college basketball spread in its last six games.

Go With Rutgers to Win First Road Game

While there are some new faces on both teams, it is a little surprising to see visiting Rutgers listed as the underdog based on how the 2022 game played out.

The aggressive defensive style played by Rutgers is not easy to deal with, and the question is whether Wake Forest will push back more than the Demon Deacons did in the previous matchup.

Wake Forest got a little 3-point happy in the losses to Georgia, Utah, and LSU. Don’t expect a disciplined defensive team like Rutgers to give up many open looks from the perimeter in this game.

The total of 140½ seems about right and it might be smart to stay away from that number even if much of the early money from NCAAB picks today has gone to the game landing over the total.

College Basketball Pick: Rutgers ML (+140)

Bet This Pick: Rutgers Ml (+140)