Bucknell Bison vs Loyola Maryland Greyhounds Picks and Predictions January 24th 2026

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Bison vs Greyhounds Picks and Predictions – Saturday January 24, 2026

Bucknell and Loyola Maryland meet Saturday afternoon in a Patriot League game that feels bigger than the records say. Both teams sit at 6-14, and both have been bleeding points all month. At this stage, you are betting on which side can control possessions and avoid the one or two empty stretches that decide these mid-tier conference games.

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This one tips at 2:00 PM ET at Reitz Arena in Baltimore, with the stream on ESPN+. The market is basically calling it a coin flip, with a tight number and a total posted in the high 140s.

Bucknell Bison vs Loyola Maryland Greyhounds Odds

These are the current betting lines, but this number can move quickly on a Saturday board, so keep an eye on the updated college basketball odds before you lock anything in.

TeamMoneylineSpreadTotal
Bucknell-110+1.5 (-121)147.5
Loyola Maryland-110-1.5 (+101)147.5

Bucknell Bison Betting Form

Bucknell’s last game was the kind of performance that can travel. They pushed Army into a track meet and still nearly stole it late, falling 87-84 in overtime. When this offense is right, it is getting downhill, drawing contact, and turning dead possessions into points at the stripe. That matters here because tight spreads in league play often become free-throw contests in the last four minutes.

The cleanest Bucknell angle is still shot-making discipline. They can live with their half-court limitations if they limit live-ball turnovers and get enough spacing to create clean catch-and-shoot looks. The Bison have enough perimeter volume to swing short spreads when the threes are falling, and they are one of the better free-throw teams in this matchup, which helps when you are taking points.

If you want to line up what they’ve been doing lately across markets and matchups, the Bucknell stats and results page is the fastest snapshot.

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Loyola Maryland Greyhounds Betting Form

Loyola Maryland’s profile is straightforward: they want points to come from the arc. When the Greyhounds get comfortable, the offense flows into early threes and kick-out attempts that stretch the floor. That’s the version where Loyola can cover small numbers, because a couple of quick perimeter runs can separate a game that otherwise stays within one or two possessions.

The issue is consistency. Loyola can score, but they also give away stretches with empty trips or rushed looks, and that’s where a team like Bucknell can hang around even on the road. The Greyhounds need cleaner possessions, especially if they are playing from ahead and trying to protect a short spread late.

Reitz Arena is a real edge for them, though. They’ve been more stable at home, and the shooting confidence tends to show up earlier. For matchup-by-matchup context and recent outputs, start with the Loyola Maryland schedule and stats page.

Bucknell Bison vs Loyola Maryland Greyhounds Matchup Breakdown

This matchup is about shot selection and possession quality. Loyola is comfortable bombing away, while Bucknell is better when it gets to the line and forces you to defend without fouling. If Bucknell is getting whistles early, that slows the game down, narrows the possession count, and keeps the underdog live even if Loyola has a shooting surge.

The tempo question is the key to the total. A number near 147.5 assumes the game stays fairly open, with both teams converting in transition and getting enough clean threes to avoid long scoring droughts. But these are two teams that can drift into half-court possessions where the ball sticks, and that’s when totals like this get fragile. A couple of three-minute dry spells can flip the entire math.

Reitz Arena is an indoor environment, so weather is off the board, but the court context still matters. Sightlines and home rims can show up for perimeter-heavy teams, and Loyola’s offense is built to take advantage if they start hot. On the other side, Bucknell’s free-throw edge travels anywhere, and that’s the type of skill set that keeps spreads tight even when the road team isn’t shooting great.

Late-game fouling is the swing factor for both bets. If it’s a one-possession game in the final minute, the spread is likely fine either way, but the total can get lifted by extended free throws. That’s why I lean under only if you believe Bucknell can keep the game from turning into a pure track meet for 40 minutes. For a broader refresher on pricing, totals, and how to think about small spreads, the Expert Betting Guide is a useful baseline.

Bucknell Bison vs Loyola Maryland Greyhounds Predictions and Best Bets

My first lean is Bucknell +1.5. In a near pick’em, I want the team that can win ugly and still cash on a close finish. Bucknell’s path is clean: limit turnovers, get to the line, and avoid the kind of quick-trigger threes that create runouts the other way. If they do that, they do not need to “play better,” they just need to stay connected.

Loyola can absolutely win this, especially if they hit early threes and force Bucknell into chasing the game. But with a spread this short, you are not being paid for the variance that comes with a perimeter-first attack. If Loyola shoots merely average from deep, they are likely living possession-to-possession late.

On the total, I lean under 147.5. That number is asking for efficiency and pace at the same time, and I don’t trust both teams to deliver it without long empty stretches. Even if Loyola gets its threes, Bucknell’s best counter is to slow the game down, get to the line, and make each possession heavy.

Best Bet: Bucknell +1.5

NCAAB Picks and Handicappers on ScoresAndStats

If you’re building a Saturday card, start with the full college basketball picks board and filter by the games where the market is tight and the matchup edge is clearer than the number. For daily writeups, situational angles, and line context across the slate, the NCAAB previews hub is the best place to scan quickly.

When you want to validate your read against proven performance, check the best handicappers list and then drill into the leaderboard to see who’s actually beating the market over time. If you prefer packaged plays instead of piecing it together yourself, you can access premium packages through ScoresAndStats picks packages.

For broader shopping and homework, the teams hub makes it easy to bounce between schedules and splits, and the main ScoresAndStats blog is where the strategy and market notes live. If you’re comparing where to bet or who to follow, use the sportsbook reviews and the handicappers sites reviews to keep your process tight.