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Loyola Maryland vs Bucknell Picks and Predictions – January 10, 2026
Loyola Maryland and Bucknell open Patriot League play Saturday at 5:00 PM ET from Sojka Pavilion in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, with ESPN+ carrying the broadcast. Neither team has found much traction yet, but conference games tend to reset priorities fast, especially for two rosters that need a clean identity on both ends.
Loyola Maryland comes in 5-11 and just snapped together a strong 84-76 win at Army. Bucknell is 4-12 after getting handled at Navy, and the Bison are still searching for a dependable half-court offense. The market has Bucknell laying 6 at home with a total of 142.5, which tells you books expect Loyola to keep scoring even on the road.
Loyola Maryland vs Bucknell Odds
These are the current betting lines, and numbers can move quickly once the broader market settles in. Keep an eye on the latest college basketball odds leading into tip.
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loyola Maryland | +200 | +6.0 (-110) | 142.5 (-110) |
| Bucknell | -250 | -6.0 (-110) | 142.5 (-110) |
Loyola Maryland Betting Form
Loyola Maryland’s path to staying live in this matchup is pretty straightforward: keep the pace from getting bogged down, and keep the threes coming. They’re built to manufacture points in chunks, and when their perimeter looks are clean, the offense can play above its baseline for long stretches. That’s a big deal when you’re catching 6 on the road.
The most encouraging angle is that their recent road performance looked composed, not frantic. They didn’t need a perfect shooting night to control key segments, and their best players drove the game instead of reacting to it. If Loyola is getting solid minutes from the frontcourt without bleeding second-chance points, they can make this a one-possession game late.
For matchup context and recent trends, check Loyola Maryland stats and results.
Bucknell Betting Form
Bucknell’s profile is tougher to bet because the scoring floor is low, and when they get behind, they can drift into long, empty possessions. The recent loss at Navy fits that script: the offense didn’t generate enough clean attempts, and once the game tilted, the margin stretched fast. The upside is that playing at home can stabilize their execution, especially early, when they can lean on set plays and avoid rushed decisions.
Bucknell also tends to “stay in the game” at the stripe, and that matters if you’re laying points. If they’re down 2 late and the opponent keeps fouling, that can back-door a favorite into a cover. The issue is you still need enough offense to force that late-game script in the first place, and right now that’s not a given.
For a deeper look at game logs and team trends, check Bucknell schedule and stats. And because rotation availability can swing both the side and total, monitor the Bucknell injury report as lineups get confirmed.
Loyola Maryland vs Bucknell Matchup Breakdown
This is a tempo and shot-quality tug-of-war. Loyola wants quick decisions and a steady diet of perimeter attempts, while Bucknell would prefer fewer possessions and more structure. In a one-game sample, I usually side with the team that can score in multiple ways, and right now Loyola’s offense is the more flexible unit.
The key swing variable is turnovers. If Loyola plays loose, Bucknell can get the exact looks they struggle to create in the half court: runouts, early-clock layups, and free throws off broken possessions. If Loyola is even average taking care of the ball, Bucknell is forced back into half-court scoring, and that’s where the under and the underdog both start to look better.
Rebounding is the other quiet edge. Bucknell needs extra possessions because they don’t consistently win the shot-making battle. If Loyola limits offensive boards and keeps Bucknell to one shot, the favorite’s path to a 7+ point win gets narrow. Late-game fouling is always a risk on an under, but if Bucknell is trailing and still struggling to score, the foul game may not be enough to push this total past the number.
If you want a quick refresher on how to think about spreads, totals, and price sensitivity as lines move, the Expert Betting Guide is a good baseline.
Loyola Maryland vs Bucknell Predictions and Best Bets
My starting point is the spread. Bucknell being favored makes sense off home court alone, but laying 6 requires a clean offensive game, and I’m not sure Bucknell has shown that level often enough to justify the price. Loyola’s scoring profile plays better as an underdog because they can erase runs quickly, and that’s exactly what you want when you’re holding +6.
I also like the under more than the market’s initial story suggests. Bucknell’s offense is the anchor here, and if they’re stuck in the low 60s again, Loyola has to really pop off to get this over 142.5. That’s possible, but the more common script is Bucknell slowing pace and Loyola winning enough possessions to keep it close without turning the game into a track meet.
If you want a little spice, Loyola moneyline is the right kind of sprinkle when you’re already on the points, because the game script that covers often puts them live late. Just keep the sizing small since road volatility is real and Bucknell’s free throws can swing endings.
Best Bet: Loyola Maryland +6.0
NCAAB Picks and Handicappers on ScoresAndStats
If you’re betting college hoops daily, the edges are usually in timing and consistency. That’s where the college basketball picks page helps, especially when you’re comparing how different bettors attack sides versus totals.
For longer-term performance tracking, I like working from the best handicappers page and checking the leaderboard to see who’s actually beating closing numbers over volume. If you want to follow full cards, the buy picks option makes it easy to stay aligned with a single approach instead of mixing styles.
For more matchup volume and league-wide context, the NCAAB previews hub and the college basketball teams hub are the fastest way to compare profiles across conferences. If you’re shopping outs or deciding where to play numbers, the sportsbook reviews and handicappers sites reviews sections are worth a scan, and the broader blog is where you’ll find more betting-angle reads around the slate.
