Kent State vs Loyola Chicago Odds, Prediction and March Madness Picks March 26

The third-place teams in the Mid-American Conference and Atlantic 10 will meet in Chicago on Wednesday with a spot in the NIT semifinals on the line after both Kent State and Loyola Chicago barely escaped with wins in the second round.

The teams will meet for the first time since 2017, when Loyola covered against the college basketball spread as a 6.5-point favorite at home.

The college basketball betting lines list host Loyola with Sister Jean in the Ramblers’ corner as a 5-point favorite to advance to the NIT semifinals. Kent State could be a trendy pick to cover.

Neither Kent State nor Loyola were among the top 50 teams in the odds to win March Madness.

Kent State vs Loyola Chicago Prediction Today, March 26

My Prediction

Loyola 72, Kent State 69

Loyola is 16-1 at home while Kent State won 10 of its 15 road games and won at St. Bonaventure and Stanford to reach the quarterfinals. With neither team seeded in the NIT bracket, don’t look for much in the way of college basketball futures for the winner of this matchup.

The college basketball betting trends don’t favor either team. Loyola is 10-12 ATS as a favorite, 6-7 as a home favorite, while Kent State is 3-3-1 as a road underdog

Both Kent State and Loyola are in the top 100 in defensive efficiency, according to the Pomeroy basketball database. At the same time, the offenses are ranked 150th and 185th, so this might not be an offensive masterpiece.

Top 2 Kent State vs Loyola Chicago Betting Picks

My Top Picks

• Kent State (+5) vs Loyola Chicago
• Kent State vs Loyola Chicago Under 144.5

My Analysis

Based on how the teams have played in the NIT, this game could come down to the final possession or two. Keep that in mind when looking at the NCAAB expert picks.

Loyola has been playing with fire. San Jose State had a chance to take the lead with just over a minute left in the NIT opener while San Francisco led by three points with 2.5 minutes left and missed what would have been the game-winning basket at the buzzer.

Jalen Sullinger had 34 points as Kent State topped Stanford in one of the more entertaining college basketball games in this tournament.

𝗝𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻 𝗦𝘂𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗕𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗡 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝗹𝗼 𝗔𝗹𝘁𝗼!

Sullinger scored a career high 34 points in the 77-75 win at Stanford in the NIT. #Team109 x #GoFlashes⚡️ pic.twitter.com/bkmvvmoZoL

— Kent State Men’s Basketball (@KentStMBB) March 24, 2025

With Loyola playing at home, I like the Ramblers to win, but they might struggle to cover. The total opened at 140.5 but has since moved to 144.5. Don’t be surprised to see the game land under.

Kent State vs Loyola Chicago March Madness Best Prop Bet

• Jayden Dawson to Score 16+ Points (-113)

After averaging 7 points on 5 of 23 shooting in a loss to VCU in the Atlantic 10 semifinals and a win over San Jose State in the NIT opener, Jayden Dawson made some NCAA basketball news when he went off for 35 points to lead Loyola into the quarterfinals.

Chef Dawson 👨‍🍳 pic.twitter.com/sgwCmlQbQD

— Loyola Men’s Basketball (@RamblersMBB) March 24, 2025

I’m not expecting that sort of output, but take a look at the -113 odds for  Jayden Dawson to have 16+ points when considering college basketball prop bets.

Kent State vs Loyola Chicago How to Watch

• Game: Kent State (24-11) vs Loyola Chicago (24-11)
• Date/Time: Wednesday, Mar. 26, 7 p.m. ET
• Location: Gentile Arena, Chicago, IL
• Kent State vs Loyola Chicago Live Stream: Fubo.tv

Get Kent State vs Loyola Chicago betting trends here.

Odds and information are accurate at the time of writing. Please check with official sources for the latest updates before placing any bets.