Loyola Illinois Ramblers at Illinois-Chicago Flames Betting Preview

Opening Line: Ramblers +1 Flames -1 O/U 125

Time: 9 PM EST Friday January 15, 2010 on ESPNU

Tonight in a Horizon League match up the Illinois-Chicago Flames host the Loyola (IL) Ramblers. After starting the season at 11-2 the Ramblers have lost 3 games in row and are 2 games under .500 in conference play. The Flames have also lost 3 in a row, but they are much worse off than the Ramblers, as they are only 1-5 in conference play and they are 6 games below .500.

This season the Flames are 5-2 at home and the Flames are 4-4 on the road and 6-5 ATS. 9-6 ATS.

The Flames have had major problems on offense this season, as they are averaging just under 60 points per game. That is not good facing a Ramblers squad that has a legit defense only allowing an average of 63.9 ppg.

The Flames do have a decent inside-outside game with the guard tandem of Robo Kreps (14.8 ppg) and Zavion Neely (12.6 ppg) and F Jeremy Buttell (10.8 ppg). These guys have to score tonight for the Flames, as no other Illinois-Chicago player is averaging over 6 points per game.

The Ramblers only have 2 players that are averaging in double figures in G Terrance Hill (12 ppg) and Walt Gibler (11.8 ppg), but they have several other players that are averaging 5-9 ppg, so these 2 do not have to provide all the offense.

Ramblers' F Andy Polka leads the team in rebounding (9.4 rpg) and he may have a big game on the boards since the Flames do not have one player that is averaging over 6 boards per game. Flames' F Jeremy Buttell (6.9 rpg) has to put a body on Polka and not let him dominate the glass tonight.

Loyola (IL) is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following an ATS loss, 5-11 ATS in their last 16 against teams in the Horizon League, and 1-8 ATS in their last 9 games as an underdog of 0.5-6.5.

Illinois-Chicago is 7-0 ATS in their last 7 games as a favorite, 8-1 ATS in their last 9 home games, and 14-6 ATS in their last 20 games overall.


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