The Washington Huskies (13-14) and Rutgers Scarlet Knights (11-16) are set to face off on Tuesday night, going head-to-head in New Jersey. The Big Ten showdown will tip-off at 6:30 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network.
The Huskies are 4.5-point road favorites with -218 moneyline odds, and the total has been set at 140.5 points. Here is a preview of the conference matchup, featuring odds and lines from DraftKings Sportsbook.
Washington at Rutgers Preview, Prediction
Washington Preview
While the Huskies’ nonconference slate wasn’t perfect, they did notch wins over Nevada, Washington State and then-No. 24 USC all away from home, as well as Utah. And yet, their loss to Seattle in December was a foreboding sign of things to come, as they are 4-10 since the calendar flipped to 2026. Washington has dropped seven of its last eight road contests, including a four-point loss to Maryland on Saturday. It is also less than two weeks removed from a home loss to Penn State, which sits dead-last in the Big Ten standings.
German big man Hannes Steinbach leads the Huskies with 17.8 points and 10.9 rebounds per game. Former top recruit Zoom Diallo ranks second with 14.9 points per game to go along with his team-high 4.4 assists a night. Former Xavier and USC guard Desmond Claude is averaging 13.3 points per game, but he has been out six weeks due to a lingering ankle injury. Fellow USC transfer Wesley Yates III has stepped up with 13.1 points per game, followed by another high-volume shooter in Quimari Peterson at 8.7. Sixth-year center Franck Kepnang holds down the paint with 6.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game.
Washington ranks top-50 nationally in two-point attempts and free-throw percentage, but outside the top-300 in three-point percentage. It also boasts a negative turnover differential.
The Huskies rank No. 47 in the updated KenPom ratings, owning the No. 67 adjusted offense and No. 45 adjusted defense. As for the NET rankings, Washington comes in at No. 56, going 1-9 against Quad 1, 5-3 against Quad 2, 2-2 against Quad 3 and 5-0 against Quad 4. Tuesday’s game at Rutgers constitutes a Quad 3 matchup.
Rutgers Preview
Outside of their loss to Central Connecticut State in mid-November, the Scarlet Knights have found far more success at home than on the road this season. They are 9-5 at Rutgers Athletic Center, compared to their 2-11 record away from it. And while they suffered three home losses during their recent seven-game losing streak, they at least took then-No. 7 Michigan State to overtime in that stretch. The Scarlet Knights beat Oregon and Northwestern at home – both in overtime – as well as Maryland while losing to Ohio State, Indiana and then-No. 9 Nebraska when they visited New Jersey.
NJIT transfer Tariq Francis has been the focal point of Rutgers’ offense this season, averaging 16.6 points and 2.7 assists per game despite coming off the bench for most of December and January. He is back in the starting lineup, as are Bosnian wing Harun Zrno and freshman guard Kaden Powers. Jamichael Davis, meanwhile, has taken on a reserve role. George Washington transfer Darren Buchanan Jr. has also lost his starting spot, leaving sophomore forward Dylan Grant and senior center Emmanuel Ogbole to patrol the frontcourt. The former is averaging 10.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game to the latter’s 4.1 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game.
Rutgers’ opponents shoot 37.3% from deep on average, which is the 12th-highest mark in the country. The Scarlet Knights’ offense, meanwhile, ranks bottom-20 in two-point percentage, bottom-40 in assists and bottom quartile in three-point percentage.
Per the latest KenPom ratings, the Scarlet Knights rank No. 146 on offense, No. 177 on defense and No. 150 overall. They come in at No. 157 in the NET, going 0-12 against Quad 1, 1-3 against Quad 2, 4-0 against Quad 3 and 6-1 against Quad 4. Tuesday’s game versus Washington constitutes a Quad 2 matchup.
Washington at Rutgers Pick, Best Bet
The Huskies’ struggles on the road have been hard to ignore this season, especially with a laundry list of injuries that have made it difficult to lock down chemistry and a consistent rotation. Maryland is in the same class as Rutgers, so it wouldn’t be shocking for a disjointed Washington squad to finish its road trip a disappointing 0-2. The Scarlet Knights have to take advantage, of course, and they had no problem beating two teams that just beat the Huskies – Maryland and Penn State – by double digits. Washington did recently beat the Minnesota team that handed Rutgers its last loss, but home court should work in the Scarlet Knights’ favor this time around.
Tuesday’s contest should be of the lower-scoring variety, as well. Both teams rank outside the KenPom top-200 in adjusted tempo. Rutgers’ last five home wins finished with 133 total points in regulation, on average, while its offense has only cracked 69 points once in its last five games. Washington, meanwhile, has come in under Tuesday’s 140.5-point line in three straight, including its losses to Penn State and Maryland.
Best Bet: Rutgers ML (+170)
Strong Lean: Washington at Rutgers u 140.5 (-105)
Washington at Rutgers FAQs
What time is Washington at Rutgers?
Tip-off for Washington at Rutgers is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.
What is the Washington men’s basketball’s record?
Entering Tuesday’s game at Rutgers, Washington men’s basketball is 13-14 overall and 5-11 in conference.
What is the Rutgers men’s basketball’s record?
Entering Tuesday’s game vs. Washington, Rutgers men’s basketball is 11-16 overall and 4-12 in conference.
Where are the Washington Huskies in the Big Ten men’s basketball standings?
Going into its game at Rutgers, Washington is in 13th place in the Big Ten men’s basketball standings.
Where are the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in the Big Ten men’s basketball standings?
Going into its game vs. Washington, Rutgers is tied for 14th in the Big Ten men’s basketball standings.
