Kent State vs. Loyola Chicago Preview Tonight: Best Picks, Prediction & Odds for NIT Quarterfinal
The Kent State Golden Flashes (24-11) and Loyola Chicago Ramblers (24-11) were betting long shots to make deep runs in the NIT when the bracket was released. However, they now find themselves in tonight's NIT quarterfinal, which tips off at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN2) from Joseph J. Gentile Arena in Chicago.
Our Kent State vs. Loyola Chicago prediction, odds, and preview for tonight's NIT quarterfinal are based on our best NIT odds, which show the trend of outright wins for the underdog being snapped.
The Ramblers are 4.5-point betting favorites at our best sportsbooks, but can the Golden Flashes still get cash tickets for bettors tonight?
🏀 Kent State vs. Loyola Chicago prediction & picks for Wednesday
Here are my best Kent State vs. Loyola Chicago predictions for the quarterfinal of the National Invitational Tournament; use our parlay calculator to get the best odds for any same-game parlay:
✅ Against the spread pick: Kent State +5 (-110 via Caesars) vs. Loyola Chicago ⭐⭐⭐⭐
🔥 Over/Under pick: Under 144.5 (-110 via BetMGM) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
🎯 Exact score prediction: Loyola Chicago 72, Kent State 69
👉 Want more picks? Check out our latest college basketball picks and our March Madness Sweet 16 predictions.
🏆 Best Kent State vs. Loyola Chicago pick & score prediction
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✅ Kent State to cover the spread: +5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
While we like Loyola Chicago to advance in the tournament, the 5.5-point opening spread felt too large for the Ramblers to cover against a team that sits only two spots lower in the KenPom rankings. The market agreed, shifting the line between -5 and -4.5 across our best sports betting sites.
Kent State is 9-5-1 against the spread (ATS) as a road team this season, while Loyola Chicago is right at a .500 record, 8-8 ATS in home games. The Ramblers are 6-7 ATS as home favorites.
Loyola Chicago has two wins in the NIT by a combined three points, while Kent State is +21 on the margin of victory across its two games despite being featured as an underdog both times. Particularly in the lower-scoring environment we expect, Kent State should be able to keep this game competitive.
We examined this matchup further in our Kent State vs. Loyola Chicago player props.
📊 Best odds: -110 via Caesars ($10 to win $9.09)
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🔥 Over/Under 144.5 pick: Under ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Loyola Chicago and Kent State average fewer than 73 points per game, ranking outside the top 160 teams in scoring average across D-1. Both teams have adjusted offensive efficiency rankings at 150th or lower while boasting top 100 defensive efficiencies, implying that the defenses could hold serve on Wednesday.
Loyola Chicago home games are 7-8-1 on Overs this season, while the Golden Flashes trend notably Under on game totals when playing as the away team. Kent State road games are 4-11 on Overs this season.
With the total moving two points to 144.5 since opening at 142.5, we’re gaining some value on the market relative to where the number started out.
📊 Best odds: -110 via BetMGM ($10 to win $9.09)
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🎯 Score prediction: Loyola Chicago 72, Kent State 69
Since the start of February, Kent State has lost only one game by a margin greater than five points, so we’re looking for the Golden Flashes to stay competitive on Wednesday. The road environment doesn’t seem to faze this team, best on its performance against the spread this year.
Loyola Chicago should get a small jolt from returning to its home arena for this quarterfinal matchup, but considering the limited scoring efficiencies of the two sides, we’re projecting both teams to fall slightly short of their respective season scoring averages.
🤖 Kent State vs. Loyola Chicago AI prediction
For entertainment purposes, we asked ChatGPT to analyze historical trends and live NIT Tournament stats before predicting the winner and exact score for Kent State vs. Loyola Chicago. Our AI prediction projects a final score of Kent State 74, Loyola Chicago 70.
🖥️ AI score prediction: Kent State 74, Chicago Loyola 70
- Sullinger’s Scoring Surge: Kent State guard Jalen Sullinger is averaging nearly 22.5 points per game in the NIT and should remain the offensive catalyst. His shot creation and ability to draw fouls give the Golden Flashes a key edge.
- Battle of the Paint: Loyola Chicago’s rim protection, led by Miles Rubin (2.3 blocks per game), will be a factor, but Kent State’s Delrecco Gillespie has been dominant on the boards, giving Kent State a rebounding advantage.
- NIT Road Toughness: Kent State has shown poise away from home, winning at Stanford in the previous round. That experience could give them the composure needed to close out another tight game.
🤔 Betting takeaway: ChatGPT's AI prediction would mean Kent State covering the spread (+5) and a total of Under 144.5 points. ChatGPT is not a dedicated sports betting model, but it can identify data that March Madness bettors might overlook.
📊 Live Kent State vs. Loyola Chicago odds
Follow the latest live NIT college basketball odds and real-time college basketball scores.
Some of our best live betting sites have taken action on the underdogs, leading to slight shifts in the game lines tonight. Loyola Chicago is as little as a 4.5-point favorite at Caesars. The Ramblers' moneyline odds are also down to -200 from -250 earlier in the week, as tonight's tipoff nears.
The biggest change is in the total, which has been bet down to O/U 142 after reaching 144.5 this morning.
🔢 Kent State vs. Loyola Chicago opening odds
- Spread: Kent State -5.5 (-110) | Loyola Chicago +5.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Kent State -250 | Loyola Chicago +200
- Over/Under: Over 142.5 (-110) | Under 142.5 (-110)
📺 How to watch Kent State vs. Loyola Chicago: NIT Quarterfinal
📅 Date: Wednesday, March 26
🕗 Time: 7 p.m. ET
📍 Location: Joseph J. Gentile Arena (Chicago)
📺 TV: ESPN2
💻 Streaming: ESPN+
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