The No. 7 Ohio State Buckeyes (19-11, 12-8) face the No. 10 Loyola Chicago Ramblers (25-7, 13-5) in Pittsburgh on Friday at 12:15 p.m. in the NCAA Tournament first round.

Game Details:

• Spread: Ohio State -0.5
• Odds: Both teams at -110
• Over/Under: 132.5 points
• Recent Trend: No. 10 seeds are 5-2 vs No. 7 seeds in last two tournaments

Key Stats:

• Ohio State

  • KenPom: 31st overall
  • Offense: 13th
  • Defense: 131st
  • Leader: EJ Liddell (19.6 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 2.6 BPG)

• Loyola Chicago

  • KenPom: 24th overall
  • Offense: 42nd
  • Defense: 22nd
  • Leader: Lucas Williamson (14 PPG, 5 RPG, 3 APG)

Analysis: Loyola Chicago has advanced past the first round in their last two tournament appearances, while Ohio State hasn't made it past the second round under coach Chris Holtmann. The Ramblers' balanced offense and superior defensive efficiency (22nd vs 131st) give them an edge over an Ohio State team that struggled late in the season, including a concerning loss to Penn State in the Big Ten tournament.

Prediction: Loyola Chicago wins a close game, continuing their recent tournament success while capitalizing on Ohio State's late-season struggles.

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