The 2022 NCAA Tournament resumes Friday with a South Region showdown between the No. 10 seed Loyola-Chicago Ramblers (25-7) and the seventh-seeded Ohio State Buckeyes (19-11). Tip-off at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh is scheduled for 12:15 p.m. ET (CBS). Below, we look at the Loyola-Chicago vs. Ohio State odds and lines, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
Loyola-Chicago earned its “Big Dance” berth by winning the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament for the third time in the last five seasons, including a second straight.
The Rambles rank 24th in adjusted-net efficiency (according to KenPom) but played the 107th-toughest schedule, according to USA TODAY’s Jeff Sagarin..
Ohio State clinched an at-large bid despite having fewer than 20 wins for the first time since 2017. The Buckeyes haven’t advanced past the second round of the NCAA tourney in all four trips under fifth-year head coach Chris Holtmann.
The Buckeyes, who fell out the Ferris Mowers Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports with their early exit in the Big Ten Tournament, are 32nd in KenPom’s adjusted-net efficiency and have played the 17th-hardest schedule, per Sagarin.
Also see: Bet Slippin’ Podcast: March Madness bracket betting bonanza
Loyola-Chicago vs. Ohio State odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 8:47 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Loyola-Chicago -112 (bet $112 to win $100) | Ohio State -108 (bet $108 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Loyola-Chicago -1.5 (+100) | Ohio State +1.5 (-125)
- Over/Under (O/U): 133.5 (O: -108 | U: -112)
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Loyola-Chicago vs. Ohio State odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Loyola-Chicago 70, Ohio State 65
Money line
BET LOYOLA-CHICAGO (-112) for 1 unit.
Loyola-Chicago went on its miraculous run to the Final Four in 2018, Holtmann’s first season with Ohio State. The Ramblers returned 72.1% of their scoring from last season’s Sweet 16 team.
Since 2017, the Ramblers have been much more profitable in this spot. (I’m going to use ATS trends since those taken into account market expectations, a.k.a. the be-all and end-all).
Loyola-Chicago is 6-2 ATS in NCAA Tournament games with a plus-6.2 ATS margin. Ohio State is 1-3-1 ATS in the NCAA tourney with a minus-4.1 ATS margin.
Furthermore, the Ramblers are 23-11 ATS in neutral-site games since 2017 compared to the Buckeyes’ 14-11-1 ATS mark. Plus, Loyola-Chicago is 20-17-2 ATS with four or more days off; Ohio State is 16-25-1 ATS.
Loyola-Chicago should get quality looks since Ohio State doesn’t pressure ball handlers and has the fourth-worst defensive-turnover rate in the tournament, ranked 337th nationally.
If Ohio State doesn’t turn up the ball pressure, Loyola-Chicago is going to bury jumpers since as it’s eighth in effective field-goal shooting.
BET LOYOLA-CHICAGO (-112) all the way up to -125.
Against the spread
PASS since Loyola-Chicago’s ML is only 12 cents on the dollar more expensive than its spread. If Loyola-Chicago’s ML gets to -140 or pricier, then I’d be willing to lay up to 3 points with the Ramblers.
Over/Under
PASS with a “lean” to the Over 133.5 (-108).
Both teams can light it up from behind the arc and they have a combined 35-26 O/U record.
However, there might not be enough possessions for the Over to cash since Loyola-Chicago is 309th in pace and Ohio State is 329th.
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