The Northwestern Wildcats (11-1) look to continue their eight-game winning streak when they meet the faltering Loyola Maryland Greyhounds (1-9) at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Action begins at 8:00 pm ET on Sunday, Dec. 27 and can be seen on BTN.
The Wildcats enter this game hoping for similar success after blowing out Sacred Heart 103-67 in their last matchup. Alex Olah was the team’s leading scorer with 21 points on 8-for-10 shooting. The Greyhounds, meanwhile, are feeling some disappointment after their 94-88 loss against Fairfield in their last game. Chancellor Barnard had a team-high 17 points.
Olah has taken his game to another level over the last five games for the Wildcats. During that stretch, he has averaged 17.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 2.0 blocks.
The Wildcats could have their way today, as their prolific offense faces off against one of the nation’s worst defenses. They currently rank 17th in offensive efficiency while Loyola Maryland ranks 332nd in defensive efficiency.
This one isn’t expected to be close when Northwestern, a substantial 22-point favorite, takes on Loyola Maryland. The Over/Under (O/U) is sitting at 140 points for this matchup. The Wildcats have gone 11-1 Straight Up (SU) and 4-3-2 Against The Spread (ATS). The Wildcats are one of the best in Division I in terms of field-goal percentage, shooting an impressive .483 from the field. Northwestern is one of the best passing teams in the nation with an average of 19.6 assists per game. Turning to the defensive side, it’s been a struggle for opposing teams to score on the Wildcats. The 64.1 points that Northwestern’s defense allows per game makes them the 44th-ranked defense in the country. The Wildcats have really locked down opponents on the defensive end, ranking 12th in the country with a .370 opponent field-goal percentage. Opponents have consistently had their shots rejected by the Wildcats, ranking 42nd in the country in blocks per game with 5.2. Not making mistakes with the ball is a staple of the Northwestern offense, which averages just 10.4 turnovers per game.
This game will be the first meeting for Northwestern and Loyola Maryland in recent seasons.
Predictions: SU Winner – NW, ATS Winner – NW, O/U – Over
Notes
Northwestern is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home.
Loyola Maryland scores an average of just 71.3 points per game (ranked 221st). Northwestern ranks 44th in points allowed, giving up 64.1 points per game.
Northwestern won its last game by a 36-point margin. In games decided by a margin of 18 points or more, Loyola Maryland is 1-1. Northwestern is 6-0 in blowouts this season.
The Northwestern Wildcats have a defensive rating of 95.1 (ranked 67th), while the Loyola Maryland Greyhounds have an offensive rating of 99.0 (ranked 275th).
The Loyola Maryland Greyhounds average a field goal percentage of 42.9% this season. The Northwestern Wildcats have split their games this season (1-1) when opponents have a FG% of 42.9% or greater.
The Northwestern Wildcats rank lower for their field goal percentage (33rd) than they do for their effective field goal percentage (18th), but the Loyola Maryland Greyhounds have a better FG% ranking (223rd) than eFG% ranking (274th).
Ranked seventh in the nation, Northwestern has an average of 19.6 assists per game. Loyola Maryland ranks lower at 330th with 10.7.
Northwestern, the 42nd-ranked team in blocked shots, records an average of 5.2 per game. Loyola Maryland does worse, ranked 168th with 3.5.
Loyola Maryland ranks 115th in offensive rebounds, while Northwestern ranks at 45th in defensive rebounds.
Opponents have had an average turnover percentage of 19.8% when playing Loyola Maryland this season. Northwestern is undefeated this season (3-0) when its TO% is 19.8% or higher.
