The Charleston Cougars take on the Loyola Chicago Ramblers in Honolulu, HI, as part of the Diamond Head Classic. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
Loyola Chicago is favored by 4.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -188. The total is set at 148.5 points.
Here’s my Charleston vs. Loyola Chicago predictions and college basketball picks for December 23, 2024.
Charleston vs Loyola Chicago Prediction
My Pick: Charleston +4.5 (Play to +2)
My Charleston vs Loyola Chicago best bet is on the Cougars spread, with the best odds currently available at FanDuel. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Charleston vs Loyola Chicago Odds
| Charleston Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+4.5 -110 | 148.5 -110o / -110u | +155 |
| Loyola Chicago Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-4.5 -110 | 148.5 -110o / -110u | -188 |
- Charleston vs Loyola Chicago spread: Loyola Chicago -4.5
- Charleston vs Loyola Chicago over/under: 148.5 points
- Charleston vs Loyola Chicago moneyline: Loyola Chicago -188, Charleston +155
- Charleston vs Loyola Chicago best bet: Charleston +4.5 (Play to +2)
Spread
I'm taking the Cougars on the spread.
Moneyline
I'm avoiding the moneyline.
Over/Under
I'm avoiding the total.
My Pick: Charleston +4.5 (Play to +2)
Charleston vs Loyola Chicago College Basketball Betting Preview
Charleston Basketball
The College of Charleston entered as a 5.5-point underdog against Oregon State in the opening round of the Diamond Head Classic, so it shouldn't be too upset about being here.
The story of that loss was an all-too-familiar feeling in Chris Mack's inaugural season — if Ante Brzovic isn't going off, Charleston isn't winning.
Fittingly, Brzovic has scored 10 or fewer points in each of the Cougars’ losses — his three lowest scoring totals of the year.
The Croatian forward is among the most productive players in the country, averaging 19.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per game on 54% shooting and 45% from 3. He does everything for the Cougars, but someone else needs to emerge to make things easier for Brzovic.
Five other Charleston players average nine-plus points per game, but you just never know who — if anyone — will stand out on a certain night.
The second scorer was supposed to be Lipscomb transfer Derrin Boyd, who averaged 18 points per game last year before tearing an ACL. He has looked a bit rusty coming off the injury, averaging nine points on 31% shooting.
If Boyd can get rolling, that changes things for the Cougars.
I think a great path for the Cougars in this game is making sure the tempo is fast. That's not a problem for Charleston, since it plays at the 55th-fastest tempo in the sport.
The faster it plays, the quicker it tires out the Ramblers, who are likely dreading a track meet.
Another thing I expect to change in game two: Charleston's 3-point shooting. It shot 24% from downtown in the loss to Oregon State, even though some of the misses were good looks.
The Beavers’ defense is lightyears ahead of Loyola's right now, so expect the Cougars' shooting to rebound near their 36% season average.
Loyola Chicago Basketball
The difficult part of holiday tournaments is the AAU-style back-to-back games. Teams with depth tend to thrive in this setting, since they can keep their starters fresh during a long tournament.
Sadly for the Loyola Chicago Ramblers, they don’t have enough. Three starters — Jayden Dawson, Justin Moore and Kymany Houinsou — remain out.
I like the healthy guards Loyola Chicago has, as Sheldon Edwards Jr., Jalen Quinn and Des Watson each average over eight points per game.
But the negative is all three played 33+ minutes on Sunday, and Watson/Edwards played nearly the whole game.
One positive sign is Miles Rubin's sudden offensive surge. The uber-athletic big, who is known for his defense, scored 21 points in the narrow loss.
Somebody else needs to emerge due to the injured guards, so if Rubin is able to build on his breakout outing, that would be huge for the Ramblers.
The Ramblers’ calling card was supposed to be their defense, but losing Houinsou is a downgrade on that end of the floor.
Last year, Loyola Chicago wasn't just an elite defense for the A-10 level – it was elite in general, ranking 28th in defensive efficiency. The Ramblers have faltered to No. 91 in that category this year.
Between the injuries and defensive inconsistency, it's tough to gauge if Loyola Chicago is good or not. I feel confident in saying, at its current form, it's not a good team.
Charleston vs. Loyola Chicago Betting Analysis
This is an excellent spot to back Charleston.
It has already defeated some good teams – like Saint Joe's and FAU – so facing a squad from a larger conference won't phase Coach Mack's squad.
