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Georgia Tech vs Loyola Chicago Picks and Odds

John Perrotto

by John Perrotto in College Basketball

Updated Mar 16, 2021 · 7:11 AM PDT

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Georgia Tech forward Moses Wright (5) dunks during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Miami, Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021, in Coral Gables, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
  • Loyola Chicago is a 2.5-point favorite over Georgia Tech on Friday in an NCAA Tournament Midwest Region first-round game at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis
  • Loyola’s Cameron Krutwig was voted Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year
  • The odds and prediction for Georgia Tech-Loyola Chicago can be found below

Two teams coming off conference tournament championships meet when #8 seed Loyola Chicago faces #9 Georgia Tech in an NCAA Tournament Midwest Region first round game at 4:00 pm ET Friday at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Loyola (24-4) defeated Drake 75-65 in the Missouri Valley final on March 7 as an 8.5-point favorite. Georgia Tech (17-8) knocked off Florida State 80-75 in the ACC title game last Saturday despite being a 4.5-point underdog.

Favored in this matchup, Loyola has won six games in a row and 17 of its last 18. Georgia Tech is on an eight-game winning streak after starting the season 9-8 and having its NCAA hopes look bleak.

Georgia Tech vs Loyola Chicago Odds

Team Moneyline at DraftKings Spread Total
Georgia Tech +118 +2.5 (-112) Over 126 (-110)
Loyola Chicago -141 -2.5 (-108) Under 126 (-110)

Odds as of March 16.

Will Loyola Be Rusty?

Loyola will have gone a day short of two weeks without playing when it takes the floor on Saturday, so it remains to be seen if rust will be a factor.

Loyola does have a battle-tested veteran in senior center Cameron Krutwig. In addition to being the MVC Player of the Year this season, he helped the Ramblers make their stunning run to the Final Four in 2018 as a freshman.

Krutwig came up big in the conference championship game with 20 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. He is averaging 15.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists while accounting for 30.6% of Loyola’s possessions when he is on the floor and 30.5% of its shots.

KenPom.com rates Krutwig as the nation’s fourth-best player.

While Krutwig is Loyola’s only double-figure scorer, the Ramblers have seven players averaging at least 7.0 points a game.

Sophomore guard Braden Norris also scored 20 points against Drake, including hitting five three-pointers. It was his second-highest point total of the season.

Senior guard Keith Clemons chipped in with 13 points.

Loyola shot an outstanding 59.1% from the field, making 26 of 44 attempts, and 58.8% (10 of 17) on threes. The only downside to the win is that the Ramblers’ streak of 17 games holding opponents to 58 points or fewer ended.

However, Loyola is first in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to KenPom.com, allowing 85.9 points per 100 possessions.

[crossspost]

Georgia Tech Rolling

Georgia Tech comes rolling into its first NCAA appearance since 2009, fresh off an upset of Florida State.

The Yellow Jackets’ defense harassed the Seminoles throughout. Florida State had 25 turnovers, which led to 31 points for Georgia Tech, and Jose Alvarado made five steals.

Alvarado, who added 13 points, has his seventh game of the season with at least five steals. He is averaging 3.0 steals a game.

Junior guard Michael Devoe led Georgia Tech with 20 points and was named the ACC Tournament MVP. It was the second time in the last three games Devoe had at least 20 points and he has done so eight times this season.

Senior forward Moses Wright and senior wing Jordan Usher each added 15 points. Wright also grabbed eight rebounds.

Wright, the ACC Player of the Year, is averaging 17.4 points and 8.0 rebounds a game while Alvarado has averages of 15.3 points and 4.1 assists. Both rarely leave the floor as Alvarado is playing 90.2% of Georgia Tech’s minutes and Wright is logging 86.3%.

Devoe is scoring 15.1 points and dishing out 3.3 assists a game. Usher has scored at least 15 points in five consecutive games to raise his average to 11.5.

Who Survives and Advances?

The winner moves on to the second round to play the winner of the first-round game between #1 Illinois and #16 Drexel.

While an in-state battle between the Fighting Illini and Loyola on Sunday would be a tasty treat for basketball fans in the Land of Lincoln, look for red-hot Georgia Tech to spoil those plans.

Pick: Georgia Tech +2.5 (-112)

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