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Nevada vs. Loyola-Chicago Preview & Score Prediction
The Nevada Wolf Pack’s NCAA tournament run finds themselves in the Sweet 16. There in Atlanta to face off against the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers
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#7 Nevada (29-7) vs. #11 Loyola-Chicago (30-5) Game Preview
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Game Info
Date: Thursday, March 22nd
Tip-off: 4:00pm PT
Venue: Philips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia
Radio: 94.5FM-ESPN
TV/stream: CBS
Projected NEVADA Lineup
G Hallice Cooke
G Kendall Stephens
G Jordan Caroline
F Cody Martin
F Caleb Martin
Projected Loyola-Chicago Lineup
G Ben Richardson
G Donte Ingram
G Marques Townes
G Clayton Custer
C Cameron Krutwig
Why Nevada Will Win
Nevada will win this game by playing the way head coach Eric Musselman wants them to play: fast. The Wolf Pack struggled early in their games against Texas and Cincinnati with setting up their fast-paced style of basketball. It is important that Nevada establishes their pace early against the Ramblers. Like Cincinnati, Loyola likes to slow things down (the Ramblers are ranked 316th in Ken Pomeroy’s advanced metrics) so it is important for Nevada to not play into the Loyola-Chicago’s slow pace.
The Wolf pack will win by also getting the Martin twins and Jordan Caroline involved early. In both NCAA tournament games against Texas and Cincinnati, Caroline and the Martin twins had slowly starts but picked it up in the second half as the Wolf Pack came back from double digit deficits. Nevada is going to have to position the offense to get these three players (and Kendall Stephens) going early to not be down big and win the game.
Why Loyola-Chicago Will Win
Loyola-Chicago will win by dictating their slow, deliberate style of play and neutralize the Wolf Pack’s more quicker style of play. The Ramblers want to keep it a low scoring matter and if the score stays in the 50s or 60s, then the Ramblers have a chance.
Also, the Ramblers will win by defending the three-point line. In both of Nevada’s comeback wins, the three-point shot was the tool that helped the Wolf Pack climb out of large deficits. So, it is important for the Ramblers to defend the three-point line and chase the Wolf Pack shooters away from them to advance to the Elite Eight