Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs. Michigan Wolverines Picks and Prediction for Saturday, December 6, 2025
Use Code WWWC It’s a Big Ten contest on the hardwood as the Rutgers Scarlet Knights travel to the Great Lakes State to battle the #3 Michigan Wolverines Saturday afternoon and we have you covered with our Rutgers vs. Michigan prediction. Rutgers fell 81-65 to #1 Purdue at home Tuesday night in their previous contest, failing to cover the line as a 13.5-point underdog. Michigan trounced #12 Gonzaga 101-61 in Las Vegas November 26 in the championship game of the Players Era tournament in their previous game, winning outright as a 2.5-point underdog. In the all-time series between the teams, the Wolverines own an 18-4 advantage and have won the last two meetings, including an 84-82 home win in the most recent meeting February 27. Read more about this Rutgers vs. Michigan prediction! Struggling with handicapping? Try our NCAAB Predictions!
Rutgers Looking to Regain Early Season Momentum
Rutgers fell for the fourth time in five games as they fell at home to #1 Purdue in their Big Ten opener and things get no easier here. The Scarlet Knights dropped to 5-4 overall and 0-1 in the Big Ten as they take the floor here. Against Purdue, Rutgers led 6-2 with 18:27 to play in the first half before giving up an 18-3 run to trail 20-9. The Scarlet Knights got within 20-19 with 7:37 to go before intermission before getting outscored 20-8 the rest of the half to trail 40-27 at intermission. Rutgers never made a push after that, trailing by as many as 25 en route to the loss. The Scarlet Knights shot 44.6% from the floor, including eight of 17 from three-point range, and lost the rebounding battle 36-25 in the game. Harun Zrno and Dylan Grant each had 13 points to lead Rutgers in the win.
The Scarlet Knights are below average on the offensive end of the floor as they are 305th in the nation with 71 points per game. Rutgers is 184th in the country in rebounding (37.1) and 333rd in assists with 11.4 dimes a night. The Scarlet Knights are sputtering on defense as they come in 102nd in the nation by allowing 69.1 points per game. Dylan Grant leads the team with 15.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per game this season. Tari Francis (12.1 points, 3.1 rebounds) and Jamichael Davis (9.4 points) also are reliable secondary options this season. Darren Buchanan Jr., Emmanuel Ogboie, Denis Badalau, Harun Zrno, Bryce Dortch, Chris Nwuli, Kaden Powers, Lino Mark, Baye Fall and Gevonte Ware are looked at to contribute on a nightly basis for the Scarlet Knights. Rutgers shoots 42.4% from the floor as a team on the year, putting them 303rd in the nation. The Scarlet Knights connect on 6.8 threes a night but shoot 35.5% from long range. Rutgers is below average at the charity stripe as they hit 70% at the line as a team this season, putting them 226th in the nation.
Key Injury Report for Rutgers:
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- No Key Injuries
Wolverines Seeking to Maintain Unblemished Record
Michigan is rested, having not played since slaughtering #12 Gonzaga in the title game of the Players Era tournament in Las Vegas November 26. The Wolverines improved to 7-0 on the year overall and open up their conference slate here. Against Gonzaga, Michigan jumped in front 13-3 just over three minutes into the game and wasn’t challenged from there. The Wolverines were up 53-29 at the half and led by as many as 46 as they cruised to victory. Michigan shot a blistering 60% from the field, including 13 of 27 from three-point range, and held a 44-38 advantage on the glass in the contest. Yaxel Lendeborg paced the Wolverines with 20 points and 11 rebounds in the win.
The Wolverines are 10th in the nation in scoring offense as they put up an average of 93.7 points per game on the season. Michigan grabs an average of 46.6 rebounds per contest on the season while ranking 7th in assists by dishing out 20.3 dimes a night. The Wolverines are above average on the defensive end of the floor, ranking 76th in the nation in scoring defense by allowing 67.6 points per contest. Yaxel Lendeborg leads the Wolverines as he puts up 16 points and 7.6 rebounds a night this season. Roddy Gayle Jr. (11.3 points, 3.3 rebounds) and Morez Johnson Jr. (13.1 points, 6.6 rebounds) are solid secondary scoring options. Trey McKenney (11 points), Aday Mara (10.1 points, 8.7 rebounds), Nimari Burnett, Elliott Cadeau, L.J. Cason, Will Tschetter, Winters Grady and Oscar Goodman have to contribute for coach Dusty May. Michigan shoots 51.8% from the field as a team this season, putting them 16th in Division I. The Wolverines drain an average of 10.1 three-pointers a night while shooting 36.2% from beyond the arc on the year. Michigan is above average at the free throw line this season, hitting 73.3% of their attempts at the line, putting them 128th in the country.
Key Injury Report for Michigan:
- No Key Injuries
Rutgers vs. Michigan Pick
Rutgers vs. Michigan Spread Pick
- Michigan -22.5 (4 units)
Let’s be brutally honest here. Rutgers has dropped four of five, with a 25-point loss to Tennessee and a 16-point defeat to Purdue at home in that span. While one can forgive those, the Scarlet Knights also put up a putrid 54 points in a 13-point home loss to a Central Connecticut squad that sits 235th in the KenPom rankings. Now, they get to face a Michigan squad that is rested, unbeaten and with five wins over teams ranked in the top 55 in the KenPom rankings. That includes a 40-point demolition of San Diego State, a 30-point whipping of Auburn and a 40-point pasting of Gonzaga in Vegas. This game is in Ann Arbor and there is no reason to think that the Scarlet Knights have a prayer here. Take Michigan as they improve to 8-0.
Rutgers vs. Michigan Over/Under Pick
- Under 149.5 (4 units)
Rutgers enters this game having seen the under post a 5-4 mark in their nine games on the year. The Scarlet Knights are 305th in scoring offense, 303rd in field goal percentage, 340th in two-point shooting (46.1%) and 248th in effective field goal percentage (48.5%) on the year. Rutgers grinds the tempo as well, ranking 307th in adjusted tempo according to KenPom with 66.7 possessions a night. Michigan has seen the under post a 4-3 mark in their seven games on the year. The Wolverines are first in defensive efficiency, third in effective field goal percentage defense (40.5%), first in field goal percentage defense (34.4%), first in two-point defense (36.9%) and third in the nation in rebounding. Michigan is 22nd in tempo with 72.5 possessions a night but Rutgers will slow this down. The Wolverines end up in the 80s but Rutgers struggles to hit 60, keeping this one short of the mark.
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