Consider Saturday’s game against the No. 14 Texas Tech Red Raiders a must-win for the Arkansas Razorbacks, who are currently in a free fall. The Red Raiders are also on a winless streak, so don’t expect them to play nice when they host the Razorbacks in Lubbock.
Arkansas is +30,000 to take the national title home in Fayetteville, while Texas Tech is +2,500 to become the last team standing this season.
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Betting Preview for the Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders College Basketball Game on January 26, 2019
Where: United Supermarkets Arena, Lubbock
When: Saturday, January 26, 2019, 6:00 PM ET
Line: Arkansas Razorbacks (odds) vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders (odds) – view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN2
Betting on the Arkansas Razorbacks (10-7 Overall / 1-4 Conference)
It’s not fan to be a Razorbacks basketball fan of late. The team has lost all of its last four games – pending Wednesday’s matchup with the Missouri Tigers on the road –including Saturday’s 84-67 beatdown at the hands of the Ole Miss Rebels on the road. They’ve lost by a combined total of 36 points in their last two games, so morale isn’t really high right now for Arkansas. However, that they probably need a win against a ranked opponent to sneak into the Big Dance should be enough of a motivator for the Razorbacks, who are still a capable team, especially on offense. They are 39th in the nation in scoring with 79.3 points per game. They can be tricky to defend, largely because they like to swing the ball around. They play unselfish basketball, as evidenced by their average of 17.2 assists per game, 15th most in the nation. They also usually start hot on offense, which could startle Texas Tech in Lubbock. In fact, the Razorbacks are 50th nationally in first-half scoring with 37.2 points on average during the first 20 minutes of a game.
The Razorbacks are 4-3 against the spread (ATS) in their last seven games away from Fayetteville.
Betting on the Texas Tech Red Raiders (15-4 Overall / 4-3 Conference)
The Red Raiders’ stock is also falling. They have finally ran across a brick wall in conference play, having lost all of their last three games – each against Big 12 teams. The latest was a 58-45 loss to the rampaging Kansas State Wildcats in Manhattan on Tuesday. They also lost to the Baylor Bears and the Iowa State Cyclones in their two games prior to their meeting with Kansas State. There’s no shame to losing to a team like Kansas State these days, especially with the way the Wildcats are playing, but the Red Raiders should still have done a much better job offense in that game. They shot just 32.7 percent from the field and went just 5-for-23 from distance. It’s for the same reason that Jarrett Culver and the Red Raiders must be licking their chops right now at the prospect of facing Arkansas’ seemingly loose defense. Arkansas is only 212th in the nation with 73.8 points allowed per contest. Conversely, the Red Raiders surrender just 55.8 points per game and are ranked No. 1 by KenPom in adjusted defensive efficiency.
Writer’s Prediction
Texas Tech wins, 79-62.
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