Ohio State vs. Loyola Chicago: NCAA Tournament odds, final score predictions from ESPN, KenPom
Day two of the NCAA Tournament tips off Friday with a huge matchup between No. 7 seed Ohio State and No. 10 seed Loyola Chicago. Predictions are in from ESPN and KenPom, and the Vegas odds are out — and the metrics are torn on what they think the final score will be.
How to watch Ohio State vs. Loyola Chicago
Time: 12:15 p.m. ET
Location: PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Network: CBS
Vegas odds
According to VegasInsider, Loyola Chicago is a half-point favorite over Ohio State on Friday. The over/under for the game is 133.
ESPN BPI prediction
ESPN’s College Basketball Power Index (BPI) measures team strength and predicts future performances across the sport. The BPI prediction from ESPN gives the Buckeyes a 52.3% chance of victory and lists the matchup as the second-highest quality game of the day, just behind Virginia Tech vs. Texas.
Projected winner: Ohio State
Predicted point differential: 0.5
Matchup Quality: 94.6
KenPom prediction
KenPom is another tool used to predict and project college basketball results. Unlike the BPI, KenPom projects Loyola Chicago to win a close one in Pittsburgh.
Predicted winner: Loyola Chicago
Predicted final score: Loyola Chicago 69, Ohio State 68
Win probability (for Loyola Chicago): 55%
More on Loyola Chicago, Ohio State
Ohio State is dealing with some injuries, and coach Chris Holtmann said two players — Zed Key and Kyle Young — would be game-time decisions.
“We’re getting healthier,” Holtmann said, via the Columbus Dispatch’s Adam Jardy. “We’ll know more about Kyle and Zed [Friday], but they are getting healthier. The final decision will be made [Friday].”
Young and Key are two huge pieces for Ohio State. Young is third on the Ohio State roster with 8.2 points per game while Key is right behind him with 8.1 points per contest. They’re two of the Buckeyes’ leading shooters, making more than 50% of their shots from the floor this season.
Loyola Chicago, the two-time defending Missouri Valley Conference Tournament champion, entered Friday ranked No. 23 in KenPom, eight spots above Ohio State at No. 31. The Ramblers bring a high-powered offense and a staunch defense to the big dance, led by senior guard Lucas Williamson, the back-to-back MVC Defensive Player of the Year.
The darlings of the 2018 NCAA Tournament when they made the Final Four, the Ramblers defeated another Big Ten team in last year’s tournament. They knocked off No. 1 seed Illinois in the second round en route to a Sweet Sixteen appearance, meaning this isn’t totally uncharted territory. With plenty of experience on the roster, Loyola Chicago could be quite a matchup for Ohio State.
The metrics certainly say so.