The Drake Bulldogs (5-14) visit the Loyola Chicago Ramblers (8-11) in what should be a low-scoring game. Action begins at 2:00 pm ET on Saturday, Jan. 23 and can be seen on EFC and ES3.
The Ramblers are hoping to rebound after their 74-66 loss to Evansville on Tuesday. Tyson Smith was the team’s leading scorer with 15 points. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, are feeling some disappointment after their 79-70 loss against Missouri State on Wednesday. Reed Timmer led the team in scoring with 21 points.
Half-court execution will be of utmost importance when two of the nation’s slowest-paced teams square off. Loyola Chicago ranks 340th in possessions per game (64.9), while Drake is 297th (66.7). It could also be a mistake-prone game for the offense of the Bulldogs, which ranks 272nd in ball security (TO% of 19.9%). They’ll be going up against the disruptive defense of the Ramblers, which forces the 14th-most turnovers in the nation (23.5%).
Loyola Chicago is a six-point favorite against Drake and the Over/Under (O/U) for this game is sitting at 124 points. The Ramblers come into this game 8-11 Straight Up (SU) and 6-12 Against The Spread (ATS). Opposing teams know they’re in for a battle when they play Loyola Chicago’s stingy defense. The Ramblers are one of the top teams when it comes to defense, allowing just 62.8 points per game.
As for their opponent, the Bulldogs have 5-14 SU and 5-11 ATS records. Drake has not performed well ATS during its last 10 games, earning a 2-7 record. The Bulldogs convert their three-pointers at a high percentage, ranking 12th in the nation at .406.
This game marks the season’s first head-to-head clash between the conference foes. Their previous game was a Ramblers victory, bumping their SU record to 3-1 over Drake. The teams are even ATS, with a 2-2 record.
Predictions: SU Winner – Ly-Il, ATS Winner – Drake, O/U – Under
Notes
Loyola of Chicago is 5-10 ATS in its last 15 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Loyola of Chicago’s last 5 games.
Loyola of Chicago is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games.
Loyola of Chicago is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games at home.
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Loyola of Chicago’s last 7 games at home.
Loyola of Chicago is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Drake.
Loyola of Chicago is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Drake.
Drake scores an average of just 69.7 points per game (ranked 255th). Loyola Chicago ranks 19th in points allowed, giving up 62.8 points per game.
The Loyola Chicago Ramblers have a defensive rating of 97.2 (ranked 73rd), while the Drake Bulldogs have an offensive rating of 104.4 (ranked 205th).
The Loyola Chicago Ramblers average a field goal percentage of 42.5% this season. The Drake Bulldogs have an underachieving record of 2-13 when opponents have a FG% of 42.5% or greater.
The Loyola Chicago Ramblers rank higher based on their field goal percentage (257th) than their effective field goal percentage (267th). The Drake Bulldogs rank higher based on their effective field goal percentage (54th) than their field goal percentage (79th).
On average, Loyola Chicago makes 5.8 steals per game. Drake is an abysmal 3-10 when it gives up at least 5 steals.
