Queens University Royals vs Loyola Marymount Lions Prediction, Odds, Best Bets - Week 1
Queens opened with a 103-98 win behind Jordan Watford's 26 points, and its track-meet style travels to a Loyola Marymount team playing its first game since March.
The Matchup
Queens University visits Loyola Marymount on Wednesday night at Gersten Pavilion in Los Angeles, where the Lions are a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 157.5, on ESPN+. Queens won 21 games last season and opened this one by winning a shootout. Loyola Marymount won 15 games last season and opens at home, rested, in its first game since March.
Queens finished 21-14 last season, scoring 84.5 points a game and allowing 83.5, and Monday's 103-98 win over Winthrop was that profile in miniature. Jordan Watford scored 26 points with 7 rebounds and 8 assists, Nasir Mann scored 19, and Caleb Jones added 15 off the bench on 6 of 7 shooting. The Royals play fast, share the ball, and do not guard much. Every Queens game is a track meet until somebody slows it down.
Loyola Marymount finished 15-17 last season, scoring 74.3 a game and allowing 72.1, a much more controlled team. The Lions bring back Aaron McBride, who scored 21 points with 8 rebounds in the final game of last season against San Diego, and their opener comes at home with fresh legs. The style clash is the game. Queens wants a shootout at full speed. Loyola Marymount wants a half-court game it can manage.
Key Factors
Queens has already played at game speed, and it matters in a season this young. Watford just ran an offense that scored 103 points against a Division I opponent, while Loyola Marymount's rotations are untested since March. Rust shows up as missed help defense and late closeouts, and against a team that moves the ball like Queens, late closeouts become open threes.
The total frames the pace question. At 157.5, the market expects Queens to get its kind of game, and in a high-possession game the better offense gets more chances to prove it. Queens scored 84.5 a game last season against 74.3 for Loyola Marymount. If the pace is fast, the Royals' scoring depth, starters and bench alike, keeps them within a possession or two all night.
The counterpoint is the trip and the defense. Queens flew across the country after a 103-98 game in which its starters played heavy minutes, and a team that allowed 83.5 points a game last season can get carved up by a rested home team. If McBride controls the paint and Loyola Marymount drags the pace down, Queens' shots get harder and the favorite covers.
Queens has the better offense, a game already in its legs, and a style that turns this into the kind of shootout where a small underdog thrives. Take Queens University Royals +5.5 at -105.
Game Information
| Date | Wednesday (11/4) |
|---|---|
| Start Time | 9:00 PM CT |
| How to Watch | ESPN+ |
| Venue | Gersten Pavilion, Los Angeles |
| Spread | Loyola Marymount Lions -5.5 |
| Total | 157.5 |
| Moneyline | Loyola Marymount Lions -245 |
More Picks This Week
More on Queens University Royals and Loyola Marymount Lions
NCAAM Props and Futures Boards
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.