The Miami Hurricanes have been inconsistent all season long – both straight up and against the spread. In the past 13 games, Miami is 8-5 SU and 3-10 ATS – that includes going 0-6 when closing as favorites. The Hurricanes opened as a slight favorite in their Round of 64 game vs the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers in Dallas on Thursday.
- The total has gone UNDER in Loyola-Chicago’s last 5 games.
- Miami is 34-12 SU in its last 46 games after a loss.
- Miami G Chris Lykes is averaging 13.1 points and 3.0 assists per game since Bruce Brown was injured.
Miami will continue to be without all-around star Bruce Brown Jr., who has been out of the lineup since the end of January due to a foot injury. Losing Brown, who paced the team in rebounds and assists per game, has been a massive blow to a program that ranks outside the top 175 in the country in both categories. The Hurricanes have proven they can win in a shootout or in a war of attrition but the team is better suited to playing slow, smart basketball.
Loyola-Chicago enters the tournament as a sexy Cinderella – even I picked them to bust some brackets – and it is easy to see why. The Ramblers play a disciplined, defensive style that has them ranked inside the top 20 in the nation in points allowed and rebounds allowed and third in fouls given. Their lack of scoring depth won’t be much of an issue when benches start shortening up in the tournament either.
Loyola-Chicago Ramblers vs Miami Hurricanes Matchup
Team Betting Records & Power Rankings
The Miami Hurricanes currently sport a 22-9 record overall in NCAA basketball action, and have posted a corresponding betting slate of 12-17 ATS. The Loyola-Chicago Ramblers are 28-5 and 21-10 ATS. Betting totals have seen the Hurricanes produce a 15-14 OVER/UNDER record on the season, while the Ramblers have gone 12-19 against the totals betting line.
According to new college basketball power rankings here at OddsShark, it's the No. 75-ranked Hurricanes and the No. 14-rated Ramblers in this matchup.
Statistical Matchup
Scoring and defensive stats point to some betting edges in this matchup. The game features Miami's No. 131-ranked scoring average of 74.16 PPG, against a Loyola-Chicago defense rated No. 5 and allowing 62.24 PPG. The Hurricanes' FG% has averaged 46.4% to date this season, less than the Ramblers shooters have managed so far (50.7% per game).
Recent Outings Betting Recap
The Ramblers grabbed a 65-49 win over the Redbirds on Sunday, behind an 18-point effort from Donte Ingram at Scottrade Center.
The Hurricanes got 17 points from Ja'Quan Newton, but it was North Carolina that prevailed in a 82-65 final on Thursday at Barclays Center.
