Ohio State vs. Loyola-Maryland: Game Time, TV Schedule, Spread and Predictions

Two radically different programs will square off on Thursday when the Loyola-Maryland Greyhounds take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in Pittsburgh. 

Loyola-Maryland hasn't made the tournament since 2004. This season, they were 24-8 with a 13-5 conference record. They are in the tournament by way of winning the MAAC Tournament and are the Eastern Region's No. 15 seed.

Ohio State (27-7, 13-5 in Big Ten) is the exact opposite, an elite, well-known college program. They enter the game as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Region. 

Where: Consol Energy Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

When: Thursday, March 15 at 9:50 p.m. EDT

Watch: TNT

Listen: ESPN Radio 1300 (Loyola-Maryland); WBNS-AM 1460, WBNS-FM 97.1 (Ohio State)

Betting Line

Ohio St (-17.5), according to Sportsbook. 

That is a big cover, but I don't see much of a problem for the Buckeyes. They are a much better team, and the Greyhounds will not have the guns to keep this one close. Go for the OSU win and cover. 

Key Injuries

Per USA Today. 

Neither team has any injuries to report heading into the game.  

What's at Stake?

Things are pretty straightforward in the NCAA Tournament. Win and you advance, lose and you go home. There are no good losses or bad wins. The winner of this game will take on the winner of the Gonzaga vs. West Virginia game on Saturday. 

A win from Loyola-Maryland would be one of the biggest upsets in the history of the tournament. Conversely, Ohio State is a National Championship threat. If they win, it's obviously one game down for them. 

What They're Saying

Sean Gregory of Time wrote that the Greyhounds will be a fun team to watch, notably because of their coach. 

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So although we think coaches don’t deserve all of the attention, the spotlight fits Jimmy Patsos, who led Loyola to the MAAC title and its first tournament berth since 1994, just fine. You’ll get a kick out of watching him. He’s a former bartender who, at certain points during his team’s 48-44 win over Fairfield in the MAAC title game, screamed at a spectator in the crowd, chased his players down the floor, and generally appeared maniacal. 

"

That may not seem like it relates to the team much, but it does. Teams are often a reflection of their coach, and if Patsos coaches with reckless abandon, the team will play that way. That is precisely what the Greyhounds will need to do in this game if they're going to be competitive. 

Bob Baptist of the Columbus Dispatch noted that the performance of William Buford will have to improve for the Buckeyes to make a long run.

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Against teams with size that can stand up to (Jared) Sullinger and (Deshaun) Thomas, (William) Buford will need to be better. After missing 5 of 12 free throws the previous week at Michigan State, Matta opted to replace Buford with Sullinger to shoot technical free throws against Purdue, but with Sullinger on the bench with two fouls Sunday against the Spartans, Matta had to go back to Buford after Michigan State coach Tom Izzo was rung up by the officials. Staying focused is especially important, with the end of the season riding on every outcome.

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Most Important Player to Watch

Jared Sullinger. I don't think he needs a big game to win, as Ohio State is a far better team. But if the Buckeyes' big man really dominates, he sends a message to the rest of the tournament field that he's a force to be reckoned with. That opens things up for the rest of his team. 

Key Matchup

Erik Etherly vs. Deshaun Thomas. 

These two are going to see a lot of each other. Etherly will need at least 10 more points than Thomas for the Greyhounds to be competitive. 

Prediction: Ohio State 86, Loyola-Maryland 59

As fun as it would be to pick an upset, it's not going to happen. Loyola-Maryland doesn't score anywhere near enough to hang with Ohio State. That is essential to pull off this kind of upset. Don't look for this one to be close. 

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