Notre Dame vs. Rutgers prediction, odds, line, spread: 2022 First Four picks, best bets from proven model
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish (22-10) and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (18-13) square off in a First Four matchup of the 2022 NCAA Tournament on Wednesday night. Notre Dame fell to Virginia Tech in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament. Rutgers lost to Iowa in the Big Ten quarterfinals. The winner of this matchup will be the No. 11 seed against No. 6 Alabama on Friday in the West Region.
Tipoff is at 9:10 p.m. ET from UD Arena. The Fighting Irish are one-point favorites in the latest Notre Dame vs. Rutgers odds. The over-under for total points is set at 132. Before making any Rutgers vs. Notre Dame picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of almost $1,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Notre Dame vs. Rutgers in the NCAA Tournament 2022. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for Rutgers vs. Notre Dame:
- Notre Dame vs. Rutgers spread: Notre Dame -1
- Notre Dame vs. Rutgers over-under: 132 points
- Notre Dame vs. Rutgers money line: Notre Dame -116, Rutgers -106
- RUTG: Scarlet Knights are 4-1 ATS in their last five Wednesday games
- ND: Fighting Irish are 5-1 ATS in their last six games following a straight-up loss
Why Rutgers can cover
Senior guard Geo Baker averages 12.4 points, 3.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game. The New Hampshire native can space the floor for the Scarlet Knights, shooting 33 percent from beyond the arc. Baker has scored at least 16 points in four of his last nine games. In his last outing against Iowa, he tallied 23 points, three steals and went 4-for-7 from downtown. This was Baker's 11th game with at least three 3-pointers.
Sophomore center Clifford Omoruyi gives Rutgers a physical presence in the paint. He is averaging 11.8 points and 7.9 rebounds, while shooting 62 percent from the field. Omoruyi has grabbed double-digit boards in 10 games, including six double-doubles. The Nigeria native had a solid game in his last contest. Omoruyi finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and shot 6-for-9 from the floor.
Why Notre Dame can cover
Freshman guard Blake Wesley is averaging 14.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. The Indiana native has the athleticism to get to the bucket. He's also consistently produced on the offensive end for the Fighting Irish. Wesley has scored at least 20 points in three of his last eight games. On Mar. 2 against Florida State, he had 21 points, six rebounds and two steals.
Junior guard Dane Goodwin is another shooting threat for Notre Dame. Goodwin is averaging 13.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. The Ohio native ranked fifth in the ACC in 3-point percentage (.448). Goodwin knocked down at least three 3-pointers in 14 games. On Feb. 26 against Georgia Tech, he finished with 17 points and went 3-for-5 from downtown.
How to make Rutgers vs. Notre Dame picks
The model is leaning over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 140 points. It also says one side of the spread hits well over 50 percent of the time. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
