Wednesday’s College Basketball Betting Previews: Georgetown-Seton Hall, Loyola Chicago-Bradley

After a steamy college basketball slate on Tuesday, the action slows down a bit on Wednesday with five ranked teams taking the court. Nevertheless, it's the unranked matchups that present the most value, as Loyola-Chicago travels to Bradley before Seton Hall faces Georgetown.

What are the best plays in these two matchups? Let's break them down.

Betting Odds: Loyola-Chicago Ramblers at Bradley Braves

• Spread: Loyola-Chicago -2.5
• Over/Under: 122
• Time: 8 p.m. ET
• TV: ESPN+

The Ramblers (12-12 against the spread) and Braves (10-14 ATS) have both covered in their past two games — all of them outright victories. But Bradley has been the hottest squad in the Missouri Valley of late, winning five of its past seven games.

In the Braves' most recent home loss (Feb. 2), they struggled to match-up against Southern Illinois' Kavion Pippen, and they're in the middle of the pack of opponents' 2-point scoring rate (48.7%) in league play.

Loyola-Chicago comes in with the highest 2-point clip (53.7%) and the fourth-highest scoring percentage (52.6%) in that department.

Look for the Ramblers to have success running their attack through the 6-foot-9 Cameron Krutwig, who owns the 31st-highest eFG% (64.8%) in the country.

Krutwig will have success against Bradley's Luuk van Bree in the paint.

The Braves have failed to keep their conference foes off the line as well, yielding the third-highest free-throw rate (33.3%). Led by Krutwig and fellow frontcourt mate Aher Uguak, Loyola-Chicago boasts the third-highest free-throw rate (35.6%) among MVC programs, along with manufacturing the fourth-highest scoring rate (18.0%) from that area.

On the flip side, Bradley could tighten up the score throughout via the MVC's second-highest 3-point clip (39.5%), along with owning the 61st-highest free-throw rate (38.1%) in Division I. The Ramblers thrive off staying out of foul trouble, though, notching the 12th-lowest opponents' rate in that area.

Porter Moser's bunch is beginning to grasp control of the conference after doing so last season. Lay the points despite a tough road spot.

THE PICK: Loyola-Chicago -2.5

Betting Odds: Georgetown Hoyas at Seton Hall Pirates

• Spread: Seton Hall -4
• Over/Under: 153
• Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
• TV: Fox Sports 1

The Pirates (10-13 ATS) have covered in consecutive games after failing to do so in four straight decisions. Meanwhile, the Hoyas (9-14-1 ATS) have covered in three of their past five affairs — two of them coming on the road.

Patrick Ewing's crew is 5-3-1 (62.5%) ATS as a road underdog this season, per our Bet Labs data, and it possesses the tools to cover this time around as well. Georgetown owns the Big East's highest perimeter clip (40.4%), guided by its leading scorer Jessie Govan (43.4%) and guard James Akinjo (37.4%).

The Hoyas rely on plenty of their offense from that vicinity, too, generating the fourth-highest 3-point scoring rate (35.9%) during their league slate. The Pirates are letting up the third-highest opponents' perimeter clip (35.5%) over that stretch.

Govan and Co. will expose the conference's third-rated Adjusted Defensive Efficiency (102.7 opponents' points per 100 possessions) in the process.

Similar to Loyola-Chicago, Georgetown has racked up the highest free-throw rate (37.1%) in the league. Seton Hall has been unable to stay out of foul trouble in Big East play, so the Hoyas should have success if they're able to speed up the pace.

A major part of that will come down to controlling the glass, and the Hoyas own the 23rd-highest defensive rebounding rate (24.5%) across DI. They'll be able to trigger their 17th-highest Adjusted Tempo (72.7 possessions per 40 minutes) as a result against a group that struggles on the boards.

Take the points in what should be a tightly-contested showdown vs. Myles Powell (21.7 ppg) and the Pirates, as both teams are in a five-way tie for third in the Big East.

THE PICK: Georgetown +4