The Oregon Ducks make the long trip to Piscataway, NJ to face the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in a Big Ten basketball game on Monday night. Both teams are struggling in Big Ten play and will look for an important win in this contest. Oregon enters with an 8–6 overall record and is trending upward after a road win at Maryland, while Rutgers sits at 7–7 overall and is still seeking its first conference victory. Here, I take a closer look at this matchup in college basketball and make my Oregon vs Rutgers prediction.
Our Oregon vs Rutgers Pick
Pick: | Oregon -5.5 |
Confidence: | 3/5 |
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Oregon Ducks @ Rutgers Scarlet Knights
- Date & Time: January 5, 2026, 7:00 PM ET
- Venue: Jersey Mike’s Arena, Piscataway, New Jersey
- Broadcast: Peacock
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Key Storylines
- Oregon has momentum after winning its most recent outing at Maryland, showing improved defense and interior production. Nate Bittle has been a steady force inside, averaging 16.1 points and nearly 7 rebounds per game. Oregon’s rebounding and shot-blocking prowess gives it an advantage on the glass, which they will try to use to earn a win here.
- Rutgers enters this contest 0–3 in conference play and seeking its first Big Ten win. The Scarlet Knights have struggled to score consistently, averaging under 70 points per game, and their field goal percentage lags behind that of Oregon at just 40%. Rutgers’ offense will need to find some kind of rhythm to stay competitive.
- Rutgers has been solid at home overall, with a 6–3 record in Jersey Mike’s Arena, but it has struggled against opponents with a winning record, posting a 2–7 mark in those games. Oregon’s balanced attack and recent defensive improvement could be a deciding factor in a game against a struggling team.
- This is the second-ever meeting between Rutgers and Oregon in college basketball. Oregon defeated Rutgers 75-57 in Eugene last season as they became conference foes in the Big Ten last year. Rutgers will try to return the favor in this matchup on their home floor, but that could be a tough task for them.
Betting Trends
- Oregon is 5-9 against the spread going into this matchup.
- Rutgers is 4-10 against the spread going into Monday night's play.
- The over has hit in 8 of the 14 games for Oregon this year.
- Rutgers is 7-7 in the over/under market so far this season.
Oregon vs Rutgers Model Projection
Score Projection: Oregon 76 – Rutgers 68
Win Probability: Oregon 74%, Rutgers 26%
Final Thoughts
I recommend laying the points with the Oregon Ducks going into this matchup. Rutgers' offense has been struggling mightily and home-court advantage might not be enough to overcome that. Expect Bittle to have a big game for the Ducks and for Rutgers to drop to 0-4 in conference play this year.
Jay Sanin
Jay Sanin is the GM and Head of Sports at ATS.io. He has been writing about sports gambling since 2013, handicapping tens of thousands of sporting events. He plays sides and totals aggressively across most sports and is more selective in player prop markets. He does his own modeling across most sports, and his family is jealous of how much time he spends on his precious spreadsheets.
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