Morgan State Bears vs Loyola Maryland Greyhounds Prediction, Odds, Best Bets - Week 2

Morgan State is 3-1 with the best scorer in the game, and Loyola Maryland's steady offense gets a neutral floor test it has not passed yet this season.

The Matchup

Morgan State meets Loyola Maryland on Saturday at SECU Arena in Towson, on MNMT, a neutral floor game with Morgan State favored by 1.5 points, a total of 150.5, and both teams priced at -110 on the moneyline. No home crowd settles this one, which makes it a clean test, and on the early evidence Morgan State has simply been the better team.

Morgan State is 3-1, scoring 85.2 points a game and allowing 65.5, strong numbers on both ends. Alfred Worrell Jr. leads the Bears at 22.2 points a game, the best scorer in this game, Ibrahima Traore leads them at 7.8 rebounds a game, and Keith Richard hands out 3.0 assists a game. The Bears rebound 48.0 a game and shoot 44 percent. Worrell, Traore, and Richard carry no injury designations.

Loyola Maryland is 1-3, scoring 70.2 points a game and allowing 75.5. Leo Ricketts leads the Greyhounds at 18.2 points a game, Sebastien Emenalo leads them at 8.3 rebounds a game, and Carter Berg-McLean hands out 5.2 assists a game, a creator who keeps Loyola's offense organized even when shots do not fall. Ricketts, Emenalo, and Berg-McLean carry no injury designations. The caveat cuts at the favorite: Morgan State won 14 games last season while allowing 78.2 a game, so a defense allowing 65.5 through four games is running far ahead of the program's own history, and Loyola, 12-20 last season, has at least been consistent, scoring and allowing roughly what it did a year ago.

Key Factors

Worrell against a defense allowing 75.5 a game is the edge that travels to a neutral floor. At 22.2 points a game he creates his own shot without needing a home crowd's energy or a friendly whistle, and Loyola has no defender who has slowed a scorer of his level this season. Ricketts answers at 18.2 a game, but he needs more help: Loyola shoots 39 percent as a team.

The rebounding gap reinforces it. Morgan State pulls down 48.0 rebounds a game, Loyola 40.0, and Traore and Emenalo meeting inside is the one battle Loyola can win outright at 8.3 a game. If Emenalo owns his matchup, the Greyhounds steal enough possessions to make this a final minute game, which is all a near pick'em asks.

The honest counterpoint is Morgan State's ball security and its defensive regression risk together. The Bears turn the ball over 16.3 times a game, Berg-McLean at 5.2 assists a game is the steadier creator in this game, and if Morgan State's defense is really last season's defense in disguise, Loyola's organized half court offense picks it apart patiently for forty minutes.

Every pick is published with its line before the game. Odds via consensus sportsbooks at time of writing and move constantly. Must be 21+. If gambling is a problem, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.