The Loyola Chicago Ramblers have become a staple in the NCAA March Madness Tournament, and we’ll be in for a treat when they take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in the opening round of this year’s installment of the Big Dance.
Will the Buckeyes end up losing to the magic of Sister Jean in Pittsburgh? Keep reading our free March Madness picks and predictions for Loyola Chicago vs. Ohio State.
Loyola Chicago vs Ohio State odds
This odds widget represents the best odds available for each betting market from regulated sportsbooks.
The total in this game opened all the way up at 135.5 and is now down to as low as 132. Meanwhile, Loyola Chicago opened as a small underdog, but the team is now laying up to 1 point in this game.
Use the live odds widget above to track any future line movements right up until tip-off and be sure to check out the full college basketball odds before placing your bets.
Loyola Chicago vs Ohio State predictions
- Prediction: Loyola Chicago PK (-110)
- Prediction: Under 132.5 (-110)
- Best bet: Loyola Chicago PK (-110)
Predictions made on 3/16/2022 at 7:00 a.m. ET.
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.
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Loyola Chicago vs Ohio State game info
• Location: PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, PA
• Date: Friday, March 18, 2022
• Tip-off: 12:15 p.m. ET
• TV: CBS
Loyola Chicago vs Ohio State betting preview
Injuries
Loyola-Chicago: None.
Ohio State: Zed Key F (Questionable), Meechie Johnson G (Questionable), Kyle Young F (Out), Justice Sueing F (Out), Seth Towns F (Out).
Find our latest NCAA basketball injury reports.
Betting trend to know
Loyola Chicago is 5-0 against the spread in its last five neutral-court games. Find more NCAA betting trends for Loyola-Chicago vs. Ohio State.
Loyola Chicago vs Ohio State picks and predictions
Our side and total predictions are based upon our analysis of the line and total in this game. Our best bet is our favorite pick across all markets.
Spread analysis
Porter Moser might have left to be the head coach for the Oklahoma Sooners, but this is still the same Loyola Chicago team you remember. The Ramblers have already won 25 games coming into the tournament, and they picked up non-conference victories over Arizona State, DePaul, Vanderbilt, and San Francisco early in the year.
Those wins might not all carry the same level of importance, but it shows that they can beat Power 6 programs and tournament teams. The Ramblers also suffered a two-point loss against the Michigan State Spartans, and they played the Auburn Tigers pretty close at the Battle 4 Atlantis. This Loyola Chicago group is extremely balanced, as the Ramblers are 42nd in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency per KenPom and 22nd in adjusted defensive efficiency.
That makes them a really tough matchup for a Buckeyes squad that is 13th in the country in adjusted offensive efficiency but a mediocre 131st in adjusted defensive efficiency. Look for the Ramblers to do a really good job of making the Buckeyes uncomfortable on the offensive end. E.J. Liddell and Malaki Branham are two NBA-level players and both are superb on the offensive end. Look out for Loyola Chicago to be physical with both of them, and it’s just hard to see either one getting too many easy buckets in this spot.
On the other end of the floor, Lucas Williamson is going to be a nightmare for the Buckeyes to defend. Williamson is an extremely versatile offensive player, as he's a good shooter who also has the ability to get to the basket. He should be in for a big performance against an Ohio State defense that isn’t very impressive, and Braden Norris is another player to keep an eye on here.
Norris is a smaller guard, but an absolute sniper from deep. He’s also a fearless player, as he has shown a willingness to take and make big shots. That type of player is dangerous in tournament play. Realistically, the Ramblers are loaded with three-point shooting. Loyola Chicago was 44th in the nation in made threes per game this year. That will be a huge factor in determining whether or not the Ramblers are able to advance.
Prediction: Loyola Chicago PK (-110)
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Over/Under analysis
Both of these teams boast efficient offenses, spearheaded by some high-level offensive players, yet this is a game that should still end up being on the low-scoring side. The reason for that is both of these teams prefer to play at very slow paces. Ohio State is ranked 287th in the nation in adjusted tempo this season, while Loyola Chicago is somehow even slower at 308th in the country.
Both of these teams are going to do everything they can to value each possession, which means shots will be taken later in the shot clock. The Ramblers are actually coming off three consecutive Unders in a row, and the Under has hit in five of the team’s last six games. Loyola Chicago has failed to score 70 points in each of the last three, and it just wouldn’t be surprising if the winning team in this one is in the mid 60’s.
The Under is 3-1 when Loyola Chicago is either an underdog or playing in a pick’em game on a neutral court over the last three years. It’s also 5-2 in the seven games the Ramblers have played on a neutral court this season.
Prediction: Under 132.5 (-110)
Best bet
Loyola Chicago is 10-2 against the spread in all tournament games over the last two seasons, and the Ramblers have won those games by an average of 9.9 points per game. Of course, the Ramblers will run into trouble once they face a team that is just far more talented than they are, but that isn’t the case with this Buckeyes team. These two are very evenly matched in a lot of ways, which is why Loyola Chicago’s machine-like execution will ultimately be the difference-maker.
Another thing to keep an eye on in this game is the fact that Loyola Chicago is 12-2 straight up and 10-3 ATS when coming off back-to-back games in which the team recorded 12 or fewer assists. That means that you can expect the Ramblers to come out and prioritize moving the ball and getting up good shots in this game.
Ohio State is also just 2-4 ATS as a neutral-court favorite or in a pick’em on a neutral floor over the last three seasons. Take Loyola-Chicago to win on Friday in Pittsburgh.
Pick: Loyola Chicago PK (-110)
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