Loyola Marymount Lions vs North Alabama Lions Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our North Alabama vs Loyola Marymount NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Los Angeles.

North Alabama vs Loyola Marymount Prediction

Betting on today's Lions and Lions game? Catch the action at Gersten Pavilion in Los Angeles, CA, as the Lions hosts this showdown at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The odds for this non-conference game currently have Loyola Marymount as the -4.5 favorite, with the over/under line sitting at 144.5 points.

North Alabama vs. Loyola Marymount Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: North Alabama Lions at Loyola Marymount Lions
Where: Los Angeles at Gersten Pavilion
Date: Sunday, December 22nd
Betting Odds LOYMRY -4.5, NAL +170 | LOYMRY -210 O/U 144.5

Lions Preview: Do the Lions Have What it Takes to Win as Road Underdogs?

North Alabama improved to 6-4 on the season with an 86-69 win over Charleston Southern on Thursday. The Lions, who were favored by 9.5 points, covered the spread in the victory.

Leading 46-35 at halftime, North Alabama added 40 more points in the second half while holding Charleston Southern to 34. The total points for the game reached 155, surpassing the O/U line of 148.

Lions Offense Breakdown

North Alabama's offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 86 points while shooting 55.9% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 61%, with a 63.4% success rate on two-pointers and 38.9% from beyond the arc. They also connected on 76.5% of their free throws, going 13-for-17 from the line.

Taje' Kelly led the way with 34 points and 14 rebounds, hitting 3-of-6 from deep and shooting 60% overall. Taye Fields was nearly perfect, making 10-of-12 shots and hitting his only three-point attempt, finishing with 25 points and 3 assists. Jacari Lane and Daylen Berry each added 18 points, with Berry knocking down 4-of-6 from three-point range.

Lions Team Defense

North Alabama's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 69 points on 55% shooting from the field. They allowed their opponent to connect on 63% of their two-point attempts, with 26 made shots inside the arc.

From three-point range, the opposing team shot 38%, hitting 7 of 18 attempts. North Alabama also sent them to the free-throw line 17 times, where they made 13 free throws, shooting 76%. The Lions gave up 7 offensive rebounds.

Lions Preview: Can the Lions Grab a Win at Home?

Loyola Marymount improved to 6-4 on the season with an 89-73 win over Southern on Friday. The Lions, who were -6.5 favorites, covered the spread at home. The game’s total points of 162 exceeded the O/U line of 136.5.

LMU dominated early, leading 53-28 at halftime, but allowed Southern to score 45 points in the 2nd half while putting up 36 points of their own.

Lions Offense Breakdown

Loyola Marymount's offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 89 points with a 49.2% field goal percentage. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 62.3%, thanks in large part to their 55.2% shooting from beyond the arc, hitting 16 of 29 attempts.

Alex Merkviladze was a standout performer, knocking down 6 of 7 threes and finishing with 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists. The team dished out 22 assists, and Puoch Dobuol contributed 19 points and 10 rebounds, despite struggling from deep, hitting just 1 of 6 threes.

Lions Team Defense

Despite giving up 73 points, Loyola Marymount's defense struggled to contain their opponent's shooting, allowing them to hit 49% from the field. The Lions gave up 16 three-pointers on 29 attempts, a 55% shooting performance from beyond the arc.

From the free-throw line, Loyola Marymount's opponent went 13/20, shooting 65%. The Lions also allowed 13 offensive rebounds in the game.

Lions vs Lions Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last five games away from home, the Lions have a straight up record of 2-3 while going 2-3 vs. the spread. The team averaged 65 points per game in this stretch.
Across their last three home contests, Loyola Marymount has a 2-1 record vs the spread. Their overall mark in these games was 1-2, while averaging 67 points per game.
Through their last five games as the betting underdog, the Lions have a strong record vs the spread going 3-2. Their straight up mark in these contests is 2-3.
Through their previous five contests as the betting favorite, the Lions have a strong record of 4-1. Their record vs the spread in these matchups is 1-2-2.