Purdue vs. Rutgers, Picks and Prediction, Tuesday, December 2, 2025
Use Code WWWC We have another early Big 10 matchup on Tuesday in this Purdue vs. Rutgers prediction. The No. 1 Boulermakers are 7-0, taking on 5-3 Rutgers in both teams' first conference game of the season. Last year, Purdue dominated Rutgers in both games, winning by an average of 23.5 points. They last played on November 28 against Eastern Illinois, winning 109-62, covering the 40 points. The Scarlet Knights covered and beat UNLV 80-65 on Nov. 27 as a 4-point underdog in Las Vegas in the Players Era tournament. Purdue is a 16.5-point favorite and the total is 145.5. Check out more free college basketball games and other big hoops plays at Winners and Whiners.
Purdue is ranked first for a reason
KenPom has Purdue ranked second and the new Net Rankings that came out have them ranked third. Guessing that head coach Matt Painter only cares about Rutgers on Tuesday. His team just smashed Eastern Illinois after crushing Texas Tech 86-56 as a three-point road favorite at the final for the Baha Mar Championship in Nassau, Bahamas. Oscar Cluff had 15 points and 15 boards to lead the Boilermakers. The defense held the Red Raiders to just 33% from the field and 24% (8-of-34) from beyond the arc.
This has the makings of a Final Four team, but everything runs through senior All-American point guard Braden Smith (6-0, 170), who is averaging 13 points and 9.0 assists, but is shooting just 37.5% from the field (38.7% 3pt). G Fletcher Loyer is one of the top shooters in the nation, who averages 16.1 points and shoots 52.2% from three-point range.
KenPom has Purdue first in Adjusted Offensive rating and 20th in Adjusted Defense. They are also first in assist-to-turnover ratio and 13th in rebound rate (58.2%).
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Big opportunity for Rutgers
Rutgers broke a three-game losing streak by defeating UNLV in Las Vegas on Nov. 27. In that streak, they had shockingly lost at home to Central Connecticut (67-54), and to Tennessee (85-60), and to Notre Dame (68-63) from Vegas in the Players Era tournament. Rutgers is a team trying to adjust after losing Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, both one-and-done, to the NBA. In their win over UNLV, junior Emmanuel Ogbole (6-10, 260) was outstanding with 21 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks. Dylan Grant added 17 points and eight rebounds for the Scarlet Knights.
Grant, a 6-8 sophomore, leads with 15.6 points per game and shoots 51.9% (44.4% 3pt) from the field. Junior guard Tariq Grant, a transfer from NJIT, adds 13 points per game and shoots 42.3% from the field (33.3% 3pt).
On KemPom, Rutgers is ranked 118th, 155th in Adjusted Offense, and 101st in Adjusted Defensive rating.
Spread Pick for Purdue vs. Rutgers
Purdue vs. Rutgers prediction and pick
- Purdue -16.5 (4 units)
Steve Pikiell is still coaching Rutgers despite having Bailey and Harper last season and still didn't make the NCAA Tournament. They don't have that type of talent this season and will be lucky to match their 15-17 overall record last season. Purdue not only has Smith at point guard, but they have another potential Zach Edey in Daniel Jacobson (7-4, 250), who has gone 15 of his last 15 in the last three games and is shooting 73.7% from the field, while blocking 2.4 shots per game in just 15.6 minutes per game. That's what Rutgers has to deal with. This will be ugly from the start.
- Under 145.5 (5 units)
Purdue ranks 316th in Adjusted Tempo, which is understandable with their size. Rutgers isn't much faster at 304th. Rutgers has gone under in two straight and three of their last four games. To make matters worse for Rutgers, they are shooting just 42.2% from the field (306th) and 34.2% from long range, facing a team that holds opponents to just 39.6% from the field and 29.2% from long range.
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