Loyola-Illinois played the Cinderella role to the tilt three years ago, going all the way to the Final Four. Now the Ramblers are back in the Sweet 16, but they’ll play the heavy and the favorite against upstart Oregon State Saturday afternoon in Indianapolis. How are we playing this game with our free NCAA tournament college basketball pick?
NCAA Tournament Basketball Betting Odds
The NCAA tournament basketball betting market opened Loyola at -7 over Oregon State, with an over/under 126. Early betting action then dipped the Ramblers to -6.5. According to Sagarin’s updated ratings at USAToday.com, Loyola should only be favored by 4.5 points for this game.
Oregon State vs. Loyola-Illinois Sweet 16 Betting Preview
The Beavers made this NCAA tournament by winning three games in three days to win the Pac-12 tournament a couple of weeks ago as the No. 5 seed. Otherwise, they’d be sitting at home this weekend. Oregon State then opened this Big Dance last Friday by upsetting what we thought was a pretty good Tennessee team in the first round, 70-56, then beating Oklahoma State in the second round last Sunday, 80-70. The Beavers beat the Volunteers outright as dogs of 8.5 points, then beat the Cowboys outright at +6.5. OSU cashed in at +350 on the money line against the Vols and at +230 against the other OSU. Oregon State shot 48 percent from the floor against Tennessee and made 10/21 shots from 3-point land. The Beavers then hit 32/35 free-throws to beat Oklahoma State. They also stifled the Vols and Cowboys to a combined 30 percent shooting from the floor. So Oregon State is making its first Sweet 16 appearance since 1982. The Beavers are also 8-1 both SU and ATS over their last nine games. The Ramblers, meanwhile, won the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season title this year, then made this NCAA tournament by winning three games in three days three weeks ago to win the MVC tournament. Loyola then opened this NCAA tournament by beating ACC tournament champion Georgia Tech last Friday 70-61, then knocked off Big Ten tournament champ Illinois Sunday 71-58. So the Ramblers are back in the Sweet 16 for the second time in the last three NCAA tournaments. Loyola covered as a five-point favorite over G-Tech, then beat Illinois outright as a seven-point dog, getting +265 on the NCAA tournament money line. The Ramblers out-rebounded Georgia Tech 30-17, allowing the Yellowjackets just one offensive board the whole game. Loyola then out-rebounded the big bad Illini 30-27 and won the turnover battle 17-11 while holding Illinois to its low point total of this season. So the Ramblers are 8-0 SU, 5-3 ATS over their last eight games. Sagarin’s ratings ranks the Pac-12 as the No. 6 conference in college basketball this season, with the MVC coming in at No. 11. Sagarin also ranks Oregon State’s schedule at No. 45 for this season, Loyola’s at No. 121.
- Get more details: Oregon State vs. Loyola Sweet 16 Match up
NCAA Tournament Basketball Betting Trends
- Through the first two rounds of this NCAA, tournament favorites are 31-20 SU, 22-29 ATS.
- Through the first two rounds of this NCAA tournament, higher seeds are 31-16 SU, 23-24 ATS.
- Oregon State is 7-5 SU, 9-3 ATS this season against teams that made this NCAA tournament.
- Loyola is 4-2 both SU and ATS against teams that made this Dance.
Totals Report
Overs are 18-12 in Beavers games this season, which are averaging 138 total points. Unders are 15-13 in Ramblers games this season, which are averaging 127 points. Through the first two rounds of this NCAA tournament, unders are 29-22.
