Princeton Tigers vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/21/24
Planning on watching today’s Tigers and Scarlet Knights game? Catch the action at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, as the Scarlet Knights hosts this showdown at 12:00 ET on FS1. The over/under for this game is set at 152.5 points, and Rutgers is favored by -5.5 against Princeton in a non-conference matchup.
PRINCETON TIGERS VS RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Rutgers Scarlet Knights -5.5
This game will be played at Prudential Center at 12:00 ET on Saturday, December 21st.
WHY BET THE RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 78-69 in favor of the Scarlet Knights.
- Not only will Rutgers pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -5.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 152.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 147 points.
Can the Tigers Offense Score Enough on the Road?
Princeton Tigers Recent Game/Games
Princeton improved to 7-4 on the season with a 71-67 win over Monmouth on Tuesday. The Tigers were -14 favorites going into the game but didn’t cover the spread. The combined points of 138 fell short of the O/U line of 146.
Princeton led 30-29 at halftime and scored 41 points in the 2nd half while allowing 38. They’ll look to build on this win as they move forward in the season.
Princeton’s offense put up 71 points in their last game, shooting 46.9% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc, hitting 10 of 30 three-point attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 57.1%, thanks in part to their 68.4% shooting on two-point attempts (13/19).
Abdi Bashir Jr. led the way with 26 points, hitting 5 of 10 from three-point range, while Xaivian Lee added 23 points and 6 assists. Blake Peters also contributed, going 4 of 8 from deep and finishing with 14 points.
Princeton’s defense gave up 67 points, with their opponents shooting 46% from the field. Inside the arc, they allowed 13/19 shooting, which is 68%.
From three-point range, Princeton’s opponents went 10/30, hitting 33%. They also sent them to the line 23 times, where they made 15 free throws, shooting 65%. Princeton allowed 7 offensive rebounds.
Can the Rutgers Offense Score Enough at Home?
Rutgers Scarlet Knights Recent Game/Games
The Scarlet Knights improved to 7-4 on the season with a 66-63 win over Seton Hall on Saturday. Despite being favored by 10.5 points, Rutgers didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points of 129 fell short of the 134.5 O/U line.
Rutgers trailed 33-27 at halftime but turned things around in the second half, outscoring Seton Hall 39-30 to secure the win.
Rutgers put up 66 points in their last game, shooting 53.5% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 60.5%. They were particularly strong from beyond the arc, hitting 53.8% of their threes (7/13), while their free-throw shooting left much to be desired at 46.4% (13/28).
Dylan Harper led the way with 24 points, connecting on 4 of 7 from deep and shooting 61.5% overall. Ace Bailey added 21 points, hitting 2 of 3 from three-point range and shooting 60% from the field. Rutgers managed just 5 offensive rebounds and finished with 7 assists as a team.
Despite giving up 63 points, Rutgers’ defense struggled to contain their opponents, who shot 53% from the field. They allowed 23 made field goals on 43 attempts.
From beyond the arc, Rutgers gave up 7 three-pointers on 13 attempts, with their opponents shooting 53% from three-point range. The Scarlet Knights also sent their opponents to the free-throw line 28 times, where they made 13 free throws.