The Rutgers Scarlet Knights will take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Tuesday night in Las Vegas. Both teams have suffered ugly losses, with Rutgers losing on the road to Kennesaw State as a 14-point favorite and Notre Dame being stunned at home to Elon as a 15-point favorite. Both teams will be looking to right the ship here, and there is value to be had on one side.

While each of these teams is dealing with their own issues, it appears the Scarlet Knights are having a tougher time starting the season. This Steve Pikiell-led defense has hit a bit of a slump so far this year, and that’s a big concern for a program that typically leans on that side of the ball. Rutgers has finished in the top 10 of KenPom’s defensive ratings the past two seasons, but currently sits at 72nd this season. The offensive end looks improved with the added talent, led by a pair of five-star freshmen in Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey. While there is optimism for Pikiell’s squad on this end of the floor, they haven’t quite figured things out yet and the Scarlet Knights are extremely reliant on their transition game (93rd percentile in transition frequency, per Synergy). They won’t have an easy time advancing this game, as the Fighting Irish only allow transition in the country in the second percentile.

Notre Dame has the continuity edge in this game, and I’m willing to give them a pass for their loss to Elon. The Irish will keep smaller teams in matches because of their slow pace (293rd in pace, according to KenPom), but it also allows them to compete with almost anyone in the country. Their ability to operate in the half court and the fact that coach Micah Shrewsberry has a great track record as an underdog throughout his career puts me on the Notre Dame side that takes points.

Rutgers vs. Notre Dame prediction: Notre Dame +2 (-110) available at time of publication. Playable to choose

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