Winning consecutive games at the buzzer is often a recipe for falling short the next round. For Loyola-Chicago, having a break before the Sweet 16 was the best scenario. The Ramblers can now regroup to face a Nevada team that is just as fortunate to be there. That’s the difference Thursday -- Loyola has showcased an ability to play 40 minutes, while Nevada is more of a streaky team.

Loyola-Chicago comes in on a 12-game win streak and has covered its last four games in the same fashion it's done all season -- by taking smart shots (50.5 percent field goal percentage), defending well (41.7 percent field goal percentage by opponents) and listening to everything Coach Porter Moser says. The Ramblers are 21-9 ATS this season, which makes them the best cover team in the nation. Nevada has used up its nine lives and has been struggling the past three weeks. Loyola is the play.

Yes, it’s risky to support a team that has led a grand total of four-plus minutes in the NCAAs. That has trailed at halftime by an average of 12-plus points in its last five outings. Yet the Wolf Pack, as the nation’s sixth-most offensively efficient squad in the Pomeroy Ratings, should be stronger out of the starting block against an average foe on offense. The difference in athleticism with these teams is stark, and good fortune tends to run out eventually for teams like Loyola that keep advancing on buzzer-beating baskets.

Nevada is the better team in this matchup. The Wolf Pack won't start slow like they did against Texas and Cincinnati. My numbers make Nevada a -4 favorite in this game.