LSU and Arkansas both had off games in their last outings, but the Razorbacks battled back to re-assert their status as contenders for the national title, whereas the Tigers exited with a blowout loss. These two teams now meet in their regular season finale. Can Arkansas continue to build its resume as a legitimate threat in the National Tournament with a big win? Read on as we breakdown this SEC affair.
Get yourself in the know as college basketball’s regular seasons come to a close. Check out our complete previews for Duke vs. North Carolina and Butler vs. Providence.
[sc:MarchMadness ]LSU Tigers vs. Arkansas Razorbacks Preview
Where: Bud Walton Arena, Arkansas
When: Saturday, March 7, 2:00 PM ET
Line: LSU Tigers at Arkansas Razorbacks – view all NCAA Basketball lines
Betting on the LSU Tigers
The LSU Tigers had a bitter pill to swallow on Wednesday night. They allowed Tennessee’s sputtering offense (12th in the SEC) free rein in a 78-63 blowout loss at home.
[sc:NCAAB240banner ]The Tigers weren’t short on offense with Keith Hornsby (25 points), Jarell Martin (16 points) and Tim Quarterman (10 points) all scoring in double digits. But they couldn’t tighten up on defense as they allowed Tennessee to shoot 52.4 percent from the field.
LSU has a more difficult offense to keep in check against Arkansas’. The Razorbacks rank first in the SEC scoring 79.1 points per game, and are even more formidable at home, where they average 83.6 points this season.
Still, the Tigers may be able to keep Arkansas away from the boards. Jordan Mickey and Martin have both been strong rebounders for LSU with at least nine rebounds per game this season.
Mickey is also quite a formidable shot blocker. He leads the nation with 3.7 blocks per game, which should help keep Arkansas’ big man Bobby Portis in check.
The Tigers are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games on the road.
Betting on the Arkansas Razorbacks
Down 71-60 with six minutes left, the Arkansas Razorbacks showed why they have a team capable of winning titles. They outscored South Carolina 18-3 in the final minutes of the game to escape with a 78-74 decision Thursday night.
Standout forward Bobby Portis had 24 points on 9-of-17 shooting to lead Arkansas to the victory. Michael Qualls and Anthlon Bell chipped in their contributions with 18 and 17 points respectively.
Portis and Qualls, in particular, are potent offensive players at home. Portis is scoring 18.8 points per home game since the New Year, while Qualls is averaging 15.7 points.
Directing Arkansas’ well-oiled offensive machine is Rashad Madden. He ranks third in the SEC with 4.7 assists per game this season. Look for Madden to have a good passing day against LSU, especially with Arkansas having plenty of options to score. The Tigers have allowed opponents 12.8 assists per game as the road team.
Arkansas has won six of its last seven home games against LSU, going a perfect 7-0 against the spread.
Writer’s Prediction
The Razorbacks win and cover the spread. Create a betting account now and back your team as March Madness approaches.
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