Loyola Chicago or Georgia Tech? 2021 March Illinois picks likely Round 2 opponent in madness bracket

The 2021 NCAA tournament ground is set and March Madness is just up for the tip, but there is still time to fill the bracket. As fantasy players look to fill the brackets for office pools and bracket challenges, they will continue to examine every area to see sleepers and figures, which can help differentiate their pix.

Typically, the forks are those tricky 9-seed vs. 8-seed matches in favor of many during the bracket season. They are often flipping a coin and since the winner almost always faces the No. 1 seed, many do not think much about these games. But often, they finally make a decision that can make or break a shot in an ideal bracket in the early stages.

Loyola Chicago and Georgia Tech seem to be the most endangered 9-8 matchups this year. The 8-seed Ramblers (24-4, 16-2 MVC) appear a bit underrated and their track record could make them an attractive sleeper target this year – if their short name conference doesn’t scare you.

Meanwhile, the Yellow Jackets (17-8, 11-6 ACC) are on a tear and away from a surprise ACC tournament title, but will they be able to resolve their foes from a smaller conference?

Here’s what you need to know about the matchup between Loyola Chicago and Georgia Tech, including rankings, key players, season breakdowns and more:

Expert Bag Picture:
DeCourcy (Gonzaga) | Alcoholic (Illinois) | Fagan (Gonzaga) | Lutowski (Baylor)

Loyola Chicago vs Georgia Tech Odds

Loyla Chicago vs. Georgia Tech is the seventh game played in the first round of March Madness and will be the first 9-8 matchup to be held during the NCAA tournament. Per DraftKings Sportsbook, Loyola Chicago is currently a minor favorite. Below is a description of their game, including betting odds, time, TV and venue.

• Odd: Loyola Chicago (-2.5)
• Date: Friday, March 19
• Time: 4 pm ET
• TV: TBS
• Arena: Hinkle Fieldhouse

Loyola Chicago (24-4, 16-2 Missouri Valley Conference)

Loyola Chicago does not have a rich history on the basketball court, as they have only made the NCAA tournament seven times in program history, including 2021. The 1960s saw more than half of appearances.

However, the team has the most memorable Cinderella runs in the final four. He made March Madness as the MVC winner in 2018, and the 11-seeded Rumblers upset Miami, Tennessee, Nevada, and Kansas State before eventually falling to the No. 3 seed Michigan Wolverines. During that run, the team’s pastor, Sister Jean, gained cult status and cemented himself as the unofficial mascot of Rambilas.

This year, the Rambellars have had a terrible season and finished 17th overall in the tournament. He has relied on his outstanding defense to win the game to him throughout the year. They have received just four defeats on the year and two of them came in tournament-bound teams, the Wisconsin Badger and Drake Bulldogs, and won 17 of their final 18 matches of the season. The only loss against Drake was by a point in overtime.

The Ramblers won all three of their MVC games in double digits and when they landed the No. 8 seed as Bill Bender of Sporting News, they speculated that the team could easily gain a higher status thanks to their top-10 net rankings .

• Net Ranking: 10
• KenPom Ranking: 4
• Quad 1 Record: 2-2
• Quad 2 Record: 4-2
• Quad 3 Record: 4-0
• Quad 4 Record: Is 12-0
• Aggressive efficiency ranking: 49th
• Defensive efficiency: 1

key players

Cameron Krutwig (6-9, 255-pound senior center)
15.0 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 3.0 apg

Lucas Williamson (6-4, 205-pound senior guard)
8.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.1 apg

Brayden Norris (6-0, 180-pound Sopmore Guard)
8.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.9 apg

Ehr Uguk (6-7, 225-pound senior forward)
7.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.3 apg

Keith Clemons (6-1, 180-pound senior guard)
7.4 PSP, 1.5 RPG, 1.5 APG

Field Construction:
WEST | East | South | MIDWEST

Georgia Tech (17-8, 11-6 ACC)

Georgia Tech has appeared in the NCAA tournament 16 times since its expansion to 64 teams and was runner-up in 2004. It was the last time he made it to the Final Four, but coach Josh Pester is looking to change it.

The Yellow Jackets did not start well this season. They were only 10-8 over the middle of the year and lost their first two games played at Georgia State in a quadruple-overtime game and Mercer. But at the end of the year, Georgia Tech switched intensity. ACC Defensive Player of the Year Jose Alvarado helped build a seven-game winning streak that culminated with an ACC tournament victory over the Florida State Seminoles.

Georgia Tech has some bad losses on its schedule as previously mentioned, but they beat Virginia Tech twice and Florida State once in their three meetings. They once suffered a loss in the Seminoles and also lost two games against Virginia, so their record against ranked teams on the year was mixed. The hot stretch at the end of the year and the ACC tournament title finally earned him the March Madness.

• Net Ranking: 33
• KenPom Ranking: 32
• Quad 1 Record: 3-6
• Quad 2 Record: 6-0
• Quad 3 Record: 5-2
• Quad 4 Record: 3-0
• Aggressive efficiency ranking: 27th
• Defensive efficiency: 52nd

key players

Moses Wright (6-9, 233-pound senior forward)
17.4 pps, 8.0 rpg, 2.3 apg

Jose Alvarado (6-0, 179-pound senior guard)
15.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 4.1 apg

Michael Devo (6-5, 197-pound junior guard)
15.1 PSP, 4.3 RPG, 3.3 APG

Jordan Ashar (6-7, 213-pound senior guard)
11.5 pps, 4.2 rpg, 2.8 apg

Bubba Paramam (5-10, 162-pound senior guard)
6.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.5 apg

Bracket Tips: KenPom | Play the odds. Idiot guide

Loyola Chicago vs Georgia Tech Prediction

The game has the ability to create defensive struggles. Although Georgia Tech has a solid offense, Loyola Chicago has allowed only 55.8 points per game this season. This is the best mark in the NCAA.

The Rumblers have good size and playful defensiveness, so they should give the Yellow Jackets a chance to slow down. Georgia Tech has four players who average at least 11.5 points per game, but in their seven non-quadruple-overtime losses, the team has averaged just 63.3 points per game. So, they can be slowed down.

If Georgia Tech wants to win this game, they will have to shoot well from long range. They have four regular rotation players who sprout at least 36.4 percent from the field, so if they can’t break the Ramblers defense consistently, they have to hit a few long balls to maximize their point production.

For Loyola, he has the upper hand in this one. If they only play strong defense and remain efficient at the offensive end of the floor, they will have a chance to win. They have the third-best field goal percentage in the NCAA at 50.5 percent, behind only Gonzaga and Stephen F. Austin, so they should have a good chance of putting pressure on the Yellow Jackets early.

History of 8 vs. 9 matchups in NCAA tournament

In true sense, throughout the NCAA tournament history, the 9 and 8 seed matchups have been relatively short. This is the largest coin-flip on any bracket, and is only one of the typical first-round matchups where the underdogs have an advantage over a higher-seeded team. No. The 9 seeds have a light edge of 72–68.

If you are looking at recent history, the No. 8 seed has a slight lead. He has set a record of 24–20 in the last 11 NCAA tournaments, but it is worth noting that the No. 9 seeds won in all 9–8 matchups last year.

So what does this mean? There is not much to be learned from trends. What matters most here is the matchup and Loyola Chicago has a big advantage in this matter.

The breakdown of the win below has led to 9 seeds having enjoyed 8 seeds in the last 10 tournaments: