Juan Pablo Aravena
Of all the games in the First Four stage, this could be the one with the most repercussions in the entire tournament. Two very balanced teams that had a high level both in their conference and in the NCAA as such, Rutgers with an infallible defense, Notre Dame with a sublime offense. Which of the two will prevail? The winner of this matchup will face the sixth seed in the West Region, the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Picks and Predictions for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish NCAA Basketball Championship First Four Game on March 17 2022
Where: University of Dayton Arena – Dayton, Ohio
When: Wednesday, March 16th, 9:10 PM ET
Betting Line: Rutgers Scarlet Knights (+1) vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-1)
Rutgers Scarlet Knights Betting Preview
- Overall Record: 18-13
- Conference Record: 12-8
- Spread: +1
- Over/Under: Under 132.5
- Moneyline: +100
With an advantage both in defense and in their dominance of the boards, the Knights will try to limit Notre Dame’s offensive versatility at all costs, especially on the perimeter, which is where the opponent stands out the most — and it’s also an area of concern for Rutgers University.
The presence of Ron Harper Jr (15.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals) will be essential for the offense, while the neutrality of the stage could play an important part in the confidence of the Rutgers players, who have been a force in their stadium, but not so much outside of that venue.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish Betting Preview
- Overall Record: 22-10
- Conference Record: 15-5
- Spread: -1
- Over/Under: Over 132.5
- Moneyline: -120
Despite how capable the Notre Dame team is of winning any game thanks to its offensive ability, it has one of the shortest rosters in the NCAA, with a seven-player rotation that does not change for coach Mike Brey. But all seven of those roster members are capable of playing at a very high level.
Blake Wesley will be key to Notre Dame’s aspirations with averages of 14.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 steals. And while the team doesn’t stand out much on the defensive end, Rutgers’ offensive limitations won’t be too much of a challenge for a much more polished and developed offense.
JefeBet Prediction
This is another tough and close game, but we’d rather rely on Notre Dame’s offensive versatility over Rutgers’ big time. After all, if your attack doesn’t run out of options, you’ll have a better chance of staying in the game or resisting the advantage. Notre Dame takes the win 73 to 66.
