2:40 pm
March 27

NCAA Tournament Midwest Region: #12 Oregon State v. #8 Loyola (IL)

Who will WIN this matchup?

#12 Oregon State Beavers (19-12)

#8 Loyola (IL) Ramblers (26-4)

 

Current odds:

Oregon State Beavers: (+250)

Loyola (IL) Ramblers: (-300)

 

• The line for this game is Loyola by 7 points.

• Consecutive double-digit victories against Power 5 conference tournament champions — the latest coming in Sunday’s takedown of No. 1 seed Illinois — would figure to serve notice that Loyola Chicago is no Cinderella in the NCAA Tournament this time around.

• Still, the Ramblers got that sense as they toppled No. 9 Georgia Tech and No. 1 Illinois en route to Saturday’s Midwest Regional semifinal against Pac-12 tournament champion Oregon State. Fine by the eighth-seeded Ramblers, who are surging with confidence as they prepare for the 12th-seeded Beavers in their first Sweet 16 trip since the program reached the Final Four in 2018.

• While Loyola (26-4) returns a handful of players from three seasons ago — namely Krutwig, the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year — and Lucas Williamson, the team’s second-leading scorer at 8.8 points per game, many of the Ramblers are new to advancing in the NCAA Tournament. Krutwig credited coach Porter Moser for instilling in the team “the confidence to go out and play and beat anybody,” and then go from there.

• Oregon State, which this month earned its first Pac-12 tournament title following a sixth-place regular season finish, has continued to roll, entering Saturday with victories in six of its past seven games.

• The Beavers (19-12) have knocked off fifth-seeded Tennessee and fourth-seeded Oklahoma State en route to the Sweet 16. Behind leading scorer Ethan Thompson, who scored 26 points against Oklahoma State, the program has continued to show resiliency following early season losses to Wyoming and Portland.

• Loyola and Oregon State have met just once previously, with the Ramblers winning 31-19 on Dec. 31, 1927.

6/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
#8 Loyola (IL) Ramblers
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