NCAA Basketball Matchup: Vanderbilt vs. Arkansas
It was a rocky start to the season for Vanderbilt, but Kevin Stallings’ team has turned things around in a big way over the last few weeks. Vanderbilt is tied for second in the SEC standings at 5-1.
NCAA Basketball Matchup: Vanderbilt vs. Arkansas
9:00 PM EST
College Basketball Gambling Odds from Bookmaker
NCAA Basketball Betting Favorite: Vanderbilt -3
Over/Under: 142.5
The Commodores have lost just once in their last ten games. Mike Anderson has brought his exciting style of basketball to Arkansas this year.
The Razorbacks are 0-5 on the road, but they are an impressive 15-1 at home. Arkansas is at home in this one. Can the Razorbacks upend one of the hottest teams in the country?
Vanderbilt has plenty of talent to go around. The Commodores have two prolific scorers in the backcourt in Jeffery Taylor and John Jenkins. Jenkins leads the team with his 20 points per game average so far this year.
Taylor is close behind averaging 17.3 points per contest. Both guys shoot the three-point shot extremely well, and both of them get to the free throw line often. Vanderbilt’s top four scorers are all guards, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have talent in the post.[soliloquy id=”82219″]
Festus Ezeli is raw on the offensive end, but he is a very good defensive player. The Commodores shoot 40.3% from three-point range as a team. They average 75 points per game.
Arkansas has quickly transitioned into Mike Anderson’s “40 Minutes of Hell” style of basketball. The Razorbacks have missed Marshawn Powell in a big way this year, but Arkansas has the athleticism to press and force turnovers on a consistent basis. The Razorbacks top five scorers are all guards.
B.J. Young and Mardracus Wade are both very good outside shooters. Wade is shooting nearly 48% from beyond the arc, and Young is knocking down 40%. Julysses Nobles leads the team in assists, and he is a good play maker for this team.
The Razorbacks struggle on the defensive glass. Opponents have been racking up the offensive rebounds against Arkansas this season.
Vanderbilt is playing some very good basketball right now. Arkansas doesn’t have as much talent as the Commodores, and I think Vanderbilt wins in a fairly close one.
Prediction: Vanderbilt 77 Arkansas 71
