Bryant Bulldogs vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights prediction: Bryant's misfiring three-point habit runs into Brandin Knight's Rutgers
The Bulldogs shoot threes at one of the highest rates in the country and miss most of them, and they bring a three-game losing streak to Piscataway.
Bryant Bulldogs covered the closing spread (Bryant Bulldogs +21.5). The game went under the closing total of 148.5.
| Spread | Rutgers -21.5 |
|---|---|
| Total (over/under) | 147.5 |
- Rutgers should win the turnover battle and the glass; Bryant needs a rare hot night from deep to stay inside a big number.
- Keegan Harvey against Rutgers' perimeter defense: he shot 40% from three last season and is at 31.8% this year.
- Rutgers -22.5 and a 149.5 total haven't moved since our feed first saw them; all four Bryant games have gone under.
Volume without accuracy
Rutgers is playing for someone who can't be in the building. Steve Pikiell is undergoing chemotherapy, and his doctors have advised him to avoid crowds, so associate head coach Brandin Knight runs the team on gamedays. Bryant arrives having dropped three straight since an opening win over Siena, and its offense explains most of that slide.
The Bulldogs take 55.9% of their shots from three, the eighth-highest rate in Division I. They make just 26.0% of them, which ranks 337th. That is a lot of empty possessions for a team that needs every one.
Rutgers has held opponents to 23.9% from deep, 32nd nationally, though that comes from two games against modest competition. The swing piece is Keegan Harvey, the preseason all-conference forward who had 20 points and 12 rebounds against Siena. He shot 40% from three last season. He went 0-for-4 from deep at Providence on Tuesday.
Giving the ball away
Bryant's bigger problem may be keeping the ball at all. The Bulldogs turn it over on 24.4% of their possessions, 351st of 364 teams. Rutgers forces turnovers on 20.7% of opponent possessions, and reserve guard Jamichael Davis is averaging 3.0 steals.
Bryant is also short a ball handler. Point guard Eric Chatfield Jr. was still out as of Nov. 11, and no reason has been given.
Rutgers adds pressure at the line. Its free throw rate (free throw attempts per field goal attempt) is 49.2%, 45th in the country. Bryant, meanwhile, makes only 62.3% of its own free throws, so it struggles to claw back points when it does get fouled.
Knight's deep new rotation
Knight leaned on depth in his first game in charge, a rout of New Haven. He used 12 players in the first half, and 10 of them scored. Rutgers has said there is no set timeline for Pikiell's return, though he has attended some practices.
The transfers give this roster a different shape from last season's. Darin Smith Jr. averaged 20.7 points last season at Central Connecticut. Rasheed Jones, from Coastal Carolina, has opened 6-for-7 from three off the bench. Tariq Francis remains the lead guard at 15.5 points a game. Kansas State transfer Dorin Buca was listed with a knee injury and not taking the court on a Nov. 11 report.
Bryant is the taller team by minutes-weighted height, yet Rutgers has rebounded better so far. The Scarlet Knights grab 36.8% of their own misses, and Bryant's defensive rebound rate of 70.6% sits in the middle of the pack.
What the line is asking
Rutgers is a 22.5-point favorite with a total of 149.5, and neither number has moved since our feed first recorded them Friday morning.
Last season's numbers say little about Bryant. Only 26.7% of last season's minutes are back. The current group has gone under in all four games. Its best cover came at Providence, where it lost 78-55 but beat a 29.5-point spread.
Rutgers covered as a 24.5-point favorite against New Haven, a 81-54 win that also stayed under its total. The question for this number is whether Bryant's turnovers turn into enough Rutgers transition points to push the score past what its cold shooting suggests.
Bryant Bulldogs vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights line movement and odds
| Book | Bulldogs ML | Knights ML | Bulldogs spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BetMGM | +1650 | -10000 | +21.5 (-110) | o148.5 (-110) |
| BetRivers | — | — | +21.5 (-115) | o148.5 (-108) |
| DraftKings | +2000 | -6500 | +21.5 (-110) | o148.5 (-112) |
| ESPN BET | +3000 | -20000 | +21.5 (-110) | o148.5 (-105) |
| Fanatics | +2500 | -7000 | +21.5 (-110) | o148.5 (-110) |
| FanDuel | +2000 | -7000 | +21.5 (-110) | o148.5 (-110) |
| Hard Rock Bet | — | — | +21.5 (-115) | o148.5 (-105) |
| Caesars | — | — | +21.5 (-110) | o148.5 (-110) |
Where the money is on Bryant Bulldogs vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights
On the Kalshi moneyline: Bryant Bulldogs: 56% of bets, 3% of the money; Rutgers Scarlet Knights: 44% of bets, 98% of the money. On the Kalshi spread: Rutgers Scarlet Knights -20.5: 84% of bets, 88% of the money; Bryant Bulldogs +20.5: 16% of bets, 12% of the money. On the Kalshi total: Over 147.5: 79% of bets, 28% of the money; Under 147.5: 21% of bets, 72% of the money.
Key players
- Keegan Harvey (Bryant): Leads Bryant at 12.0 points a game but scored just 4 at Providence.
- Duane Thompson (Bryant): Bryant's most efficient scorer with a 110.6 offensive rating and 81.3% free throw shooting.
- Onyx Nnani (Bryant): Carries a team-high 25.9% usage rate but is shooting 20% from three.
- Andre Pasha (Bryant): Averaging 7.2 rebounds and had a 12-point, 10-rebound game against Fairfield.
- Tariq Francis (Rutgers): Scoring 15.5 points a game after averaging 17.0 last season.
- Darin Smith Jr. (Rutgers): Averaged 20.7 points last season and is at 9.0 a game in a deeper Rutgers rotation.
- Rasheed Jones (Rutgers): Has hit 6 of 7 threes off the bench after shooting 36.6% from deep last season.
- Jamichael Davis (Rutgers): Averaging 3.0 steals, a direct threat to Bryant's ball security.
Numbers that matter
| Bryant 3-point attempt rate | 55.9% | Eighth-highest in Division I, paired with 26.0% accuracy from deep. |
|---|---|---|
| Bryant turnover rate | 24.4% | Ranks 351st of 364 and Bryant is without point guard Eric Chatfield Jr. |
| Rutgers opponent 3-point % | 23.9% | Ranks 32nd nationally through two games. |
| Spread | -22.5 | Rutgers has been favored by this number since our feed first saw the game. |
| Bryant returning minutes | 26.7% | Little of last season's roster remains, so last season's numbers are a weak guide. |
Bryant Bulldogs vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights: quick answers
What was the final score of Bryant Bulldogs vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights?
Bryant Bulldogs 51, Rutgers Scarlet Knights 72 (final). Bryant Bulldogs covered the closing spread (Bryant Bulldogs +21.5). The game went under the closing total of 148.5.
Who is favored in Bryant Bulldogs vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights?
Rutgers is favored by 21.5 points (Rutgers -21.5).
What is the over/under for Bryant Bulldogs vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights?
The total is 147.5 points.
When is Bryant Bulldogs vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights?
Friday, November 13, 2026 at 6:00 PM ET.
Has the line moved for Bryant Bulldogs vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights?
Yes: Bryant Bulldogs opened +23 and is now +21.5, and the total moved from 150.5 to 148.5 (consensus of the regulated US sportsbooks since we first saw the game).
Where is the money on Bryant Bulldogs vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights?
On the Kalshi moneyline: Bryant Bulldogs: 56% of bets, 3% of the money; Rutgers Scarlet Knights: 44% of bets, 98% of the money. On the Kalshi spread: Rutgers Scarlet Knights -20.5: 84% of bets, 88% of the money; Bryant Bulldogs +20.5: 16% of bets, 12% of the money. On the Kalshi total: Over 147.5: 79% of bets, 28% of the money; Under 147.5: 21% of bets, 72% of the money.