The No. 15-seed Loyola-Chicago Ramblers (10-20) and No. 10 Saint Joseph’s Hawks (14-16) open Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament play Tuesday with a 1st-round game in Brooklyn. The contest at the Barclays Center will tip off at 2 p.m. ET (ESPN+). Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the Loyola-Chicago vs. Saint Joseph’s odds, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
The Ramblers have struggled defensively in going 2-6 in their last 8 games, allowing 73.5 points per game over that stretch. Loyola, who went 4-14 in league play, are also 4-14 in road games this season.
The Hawks, who went 8-10 in the A-10, are 1-4 in their last 5 games. Saint Joseph’s launches a lot of 3s (26.3 attempts per game, tops in A-10), and the team has struggled from distance (31.3%) in the last 5.
The Hawks beat Loyola twice this season. They won 86-55 at home on Jan. 14 as 1.5-point favorites while the 142.5 Under hit. On Feb. 8 in Chicago, Saint Joseph’s won 83-71 as 3.5-point underdogs while the 140.5 Over hit.