Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Joyce Center, South Bend, IN
Sunday, February 6, 2011, 12:00 pm Eastern, TV: ESPN3
Opening Line: Notre Dame -12
Current Line: Notre Dame -11.5
Opening Total: 130.5
Current Total: 130.5
Money Line: Notre Dame -725 / Rutgers +575
The ninth-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish (18-4, 7-3 Big East) have yet to lose a home game this season and will be going for their fifth straight victory on Sunday when they host the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (12-10, 3-7). Notre Dame (-11.5) is 13-0 at home and has covered every game during a four-game winning streak that has vaulted the team into second place in the conference.
“It’ll be great to get back home and feel the energy,” Fighting Irish head coach Mike Brey said. “This group is chasing down a goal of being regular season champions.”
Notre Dame has been able to overcome a previous flaw by finding a way to win on the road, knocking off #4 Pitt and DePaul by a combined 30 points in their last two games. The team had lost its first three league games on the road at Syracuse, Marquette and St. John’s but is playing its best basketball of the season thanks to the strong play of senior guard Ben Hansbrough.
The younger brother of former North Carolina All-American Tyler Hansbrough has played outstanding during the winning streak, averaging 21 points and 5.25 assists per game. Hansbrough scored 24 points on 7 of 12 shooting – including 5 of 8 from 3-point range – in an 83-58 rout of DePaul on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Rutgers has struggled since winning consecutive games against South Florida and Seton Hall. The Scarlet Knights have dropped their last three games straight-up despite covering four of five against the spread. One of those covers was a 58-56 loss at St. John’s on Wednesday, which followed a tough 65-62 home loss to the Panthers last Saturday.
The biggest problem for Rutgers during the skid is a lack of scoring, averaging just 58 points and 66.4 overall. The UNDER is 3-1 in the last four games overall for the Scarlet Knights, who have also seen the UNDER cash in their past four meetings with the Irish. They are 1-4 SU in Big East road games this season – going 2-3 ATS – and begin a very difficult stretch of playing five of their next six games against ranked opponents.
Notre Dame has not had an easy time with Rutgers over the years but has still won the last six home meetings. The Irish have also won six of the last 10 meetings overall but are just 2-8 ATS. The Scarlet Knights pulled off a 74-73 upset at home last year as eight-point underdogs.
Now that you have read this Big East college basketball betting preview featuring Notre Dame & Rutgers, make sure to check out the NCAA basketball odds on this and all the games to compare the best lines at multiple sportsbooks.
