The Northern Iowa Panthers (16-11) will travel to Joseph J. Gentile Center to play against the Loyola Chicago Ramblers (12-14) in their home finale. Action gets underway at 8:00 pm ET on Wednesday, Feb. 17 and will air on EFC and ES3.
The Ramblers are hoping to rebound after their 74-73 loss to Evansville on Sunday. Devon Turk finished with 22 points to lead the team. The Panthers, meanwhile, are coming off a 53-50 win against Wichita State on Saturday. Wyatt Lohaus had a good game, accumulating 11 points, five rebounds, and four assists.
Over the last five games, Montel James has been playing at a high level for the Ramblers. During that stretch, he has averaged 17.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, 0.8 steals, and 1.8 blocks.
Half-court execution will be of utmost importance when two of the nation’s slowest-paced teams square off. Loyola Chicago ranks 334th in possessions per game (65.3), while Northern Iowa is 345th (63.9). Also, the Panthers commit the 16th-fewest errors in the nation (TO% of 15.4%), while the gambling defense of the Ramblers causes the 15th-most (opponents’ TO% of 22.6%).
This is the second game of the year between these two teams, with the Ramblers winning the first matchup 51-41. Despite the loss, Jeremy Morgan had a standout performance with 15 points, five rebounds, two assists, three steals, and two three-pointers.
The Ramblers have gone 12-14 Straight Up (SU) and 10-15 Against The Spread (ATS). Loyola Chicago has been steady from the free throw line, shooting an impressive .743. Turning to the defensive side, it’s been a struggle for opposing teams to score on the Ramblers. The 64.9 points that Loyola Chicago’s defense allows per game makes them the 28th-ranked defense in the country.
In the other locker room, the Panthers have records of 14-12 ATS and 16-11 SU. Northern Iowa is one of the top three-point shooting teams in the nation, making 8.0 shots from three-point range per game. The Panthers are one of the top defensive teams in the nation, essentially shutting down opponents to the tune of 64.9 points allowed per game.
Following the Ramblers’ latest win over Northern Iowa, Loyola Chicago is still behind in the head-to-head record over their most recent meetings, 3-7 SU. The teams are even ATS, with a 5-5 record. Northern Iowa held the advantage in field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers twice in the last five matchups. On the other side of the court, Loyola Chicago never accomplished this feat in that span.
Predictions: SU Winner – NoIa, ATS Winner – NoIa
Notes
Loyola Chicago averages 64.6 points per game, placing the team just 243rd in the nation. Northern Iowa ranks 29th in points allowed, giving up 64.9 points per game.
Loyola Chicago scores just 69.5 points per home game (ranked 223rd). Northern Iowa ranks 26th in points allowed on the road, giving up 67.0 points.
In its last game, Northern Iowa won by a margin of three points. Loyola Chicago is 1-4 in games decided by a margin of three points or less. Northern Iowa has a 3-2 record in close games.
The Loyola Chicago Ramblers average 65.3 possessions per game and .989 points per possession, while the Northern Iowa Panthers earn fewer possessions (63.9) but more points per possession (1.090).
The Northern Iowa Panthers have one of the best effective field goal percentages this season, ranking 25th in the country with an eFG% of 54.6%. When their opponents record a similar or higher eFG%, the Loyola Chicago Ramblers have an underachieving 1-8 record.
Loyola Chicago attempts an average of 16.0 three pointers per game and Northern Iowa attempts 22.0. In games where they have 20 or more three point attempts, the Loyola Chicago Ramblers have a poor 2-6 record while the Northern Iowa Panthers have a 10-9 record.
The Loyola Chicago Ramblers average 5.7 steals per game. When allowing 5 or more steals, the Northern Iowa Panthers are an even 7-7 this season.
