College basketball odds, pick: Rutgers vs. Wisconsin for Thursday, March 7

Rutgers vs. Wisconsin Odds

Thursday, March 7, 7 p.m. ET, FS1

Odds via DraftKings. Get up-to-the-minute NCAAB odds here.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights

There's a lot to look forward for Steve Pikiell's program — thanks to a good recruiting class — but the Scarlet Knights' offensive struggles were painful to watch this season.

Out of 14 Big Ten teams, here's where they rank in prominent offensive categories:

• 14th in offensive efficiency
• 14th in effective field goal percentage
• 13th in free-throw percentage
• 14th in 2-point percentage
• 13th in 3-point percentage

It can't get much worse than that, and they have another uphill climb in the matchup. Not only are the Badgers trying to right the ship, but the Scarlet Knights have nothing to play for since they need to win the Big Ten tournament to punch a ticket into the Big Dance.

Due to the consistent horrific offensive production, it's fair to say the Scarlet Knights were fortunate in the first matchup at home against Wisconsin. They shot 10-of-17 from 3, so the likelihood of a duplicate performance is unlikely.

Their defense is the lone reason they have an above .500 record; they're fourth in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency.

The Badgers have struggled overall as a team lately, but their offense is a solid unit.

Even with a great defensive effort, it'll be extremely challenging for the Scarlet Knights to keep the game close. The Scarlet Knights' season is practically over, and that leaves me doubt that the team is motivated to play in a rowdy environment on their opponent's Senior Night.

Wisconsin Badgers

The Badgers once ranked in the top 10 in the AP poll. However, they're now projected as a six-seed in the NCAA tournament.

The team has been struggling in the past month, and it's crucial for it to find its footing soon before the season becomes a disaster. Although the Badgers are expected to make it to the tournament, they want to improve their overall team morale before it starts, giving them a chance to make a deep run.

The Badgers are known for their defensive intensity, but their defense has let them down this season, as they're 281st in opposing field goal percentage allowed. Additionally, they don't force turnovers, and their opponents shoot 37% from 3-point land.

The metrics suggest that they're due for some positive regression, but they're still allowing their opponents to shoot 51% inside the arc, which is unacceptable.

Offensively, the Badgers are talented enough to crack the Scarlet Knights' stingy defense, but they don't shoot the triple as well as they should.

Their interior scoring, however, remains steady. I expect the team to seek vengeance after its loss at Rutgers last month and be fired up for Senior Night at home.

Rutgers vs. Wisconsin

Betting Pick & Prediction

Despite the Badgers' recent poor performance, I believe they're due to turn it around. The Scarlet Knights are known for their terrible performances on the road, and their defense is also weak in away games.

It's Senior Night, and I expect the energy at the Kohl Center to be electric from the start. The Badgers need a win to gain momentum heading into the Big Ten tournament, especially since they have a game against Purdue coming up.

If the Badgers manage to beat Rutgers and Purdue, they'll be back in the conversation to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament. I'm confident that the Badgers' offense will crush Rutgers' defense, and the Scarlet Knights' offense is too weak to pose a real threat.

Despite their defensive issues, I believe the Badgers will be able to contain the Scarlet Knights throughout the game.

I predict that the Badgers will win convincingly.

Pick: Wisconsin -9.5 (Play to -10)