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1/24 Big Ten Preview: Indiana and Rutgers Battle

Preview all of Sunday’s Big Ten action.

NCAA Basketball: Indiana at Iowa Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

The Big Ten only has one game on Sunday, but it should be an interesting one with Rutgers going on the road to face Indiana. The Scarlet Knights are desperate to bounce back after some recent struggles, while the Hoosiers are hoping to build off a huge win over Iowa earlier this week.

Let’s take a look at the schedule.

Game of the Day:

-Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Indiana Hoosiers

  • Time/TV: 12:00PM ET (BTN)
  • KenPom Spread: Indiana by 5

This game will probably get overshadowed by the NFL matchups on Sunday afternoon, but it’s still an important one that could mean some significant things down the line. For Rutgers, this is a chance to snap the team’s dreadful five-game skid. And for Indiana, it’s a chance to really improve its NCAA positioning after scoring a marquee win over Iowa on Thursday night. It’s one of those sneakily important games.

From a matchup perspective, the battle between Indiana’s defense and Rutgers’ offense is going to be where to watch. The Hoosiers put together an incredible performance on Thursday against a high-powered Iowa offense and fans have to be wondering whether it’s the start of a trend or a blip on the radar. Rutgers’ offense offers a more typical opponent for Indiana to try and slow down. We’ll see if that defensively intensity carries over.

The frontcourt should also be an interesting spot to watch. Indiana’s Trayce Jackson-Davis will certainly be a factor in the game’s outcome. Can Rutgers’ big men slow down the All-American candidate? It’s a big question after a few underwhelming outings for Myles Johnson and the other Scarlet Knights.

It’s also important to emphasize how big of a game this is for Rutgers. After losing five straight, it’s hard to feel optimistic about where the Scarlet Knights are heading. A loss here wouldn’t be the final straw (it’s January, after all), but it would really cement things for the team moving forward. And with a favorable next few games ahead, pulling off a win in Bloomington would go a long way for Rutgers.

  • Pick Against The Spread: Indiana

Cancelled/Postponed:

-Nebraska Cornhuskers at No. 4 Iowa Hawkeyes

After Thursday’s loss to Indiana, this would have been a really interesting game to watch and see whether the Hawkeyes could rebound. However, we won’t get that opportunity because of a COVID-19 related pause for the Huskers. We certainly wish everyone health and safety as the pause continues.

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Record Against The Spread: 18-13-2