The Arkansas Razorbacks (14-14) travel to face off against the Kentucky Wildcats (20-8) on Saturday, March 2nd. This game will be played at Rupp Arena in Lexington and televised on CBS. Kentucky is coming off a win in their previous game, while Arkansas is looking to get back on track from a loss to the Vanderbilt. Tip-off is set for 1:30 ET.
Arkansas Razorbacks vs Kentucky Wildcats
The Arkansas Razorbacks Look To Bounce Back From A Loss
Arkansas has had a tough time on the road this season, going just 2-8 compared to 12-6 at home. They come into this game as 13.5-point underdogs, and they are 4-11 this season when they are the underdog.
In their last game, the Razorbacks lost to Vanderbilt by a score of 85-82. Over their last 10 games on the road, they have gone just 2-8, and their average scoring margin on the road this season is -9.8 points per game.
As the underdog this season, Arkansas has gone 6-9 vs. the spread. On the road, the Razorbacks are 3-7 vs. the spread, but they have gone 2-1 ATS in their last 3 road games and 3-2 ATS in their last 5 road games.
Arkansas’ over/under record this season is 20-8 and the average scoring total in their games is 153.9 points. Today’s over/under line of 167.5 is higher than the average OU line in their games (149.8). Over their last three games, the average scoring total is 158 points and their OU record during this stretch is 3-0. So far this season, 24 of their games have finished with fewer points than today’s over/under line.
The Kentucky Wildcats Are Coming Off A Win
After a two-point victory over Mississippi State, Kentucky will look to extend their current two-game winning streak. The Wildcats are 20-8 overall and 10-5 in Southeastern Conference action. For the season, they have been favored in 22 games, going 16-6.
At home, Kentucky has been even better, going 13-4 with an average scoring margin of +13.7 points per game. Over their last 10 games at home, they have gone 7-3.
As the favorite, Kentucky has gone just 3-7 vs. the spread in their last 10 games. They are 2-1 ATS in their last 3 home games and 6-4 ATS in their last 10 home games. Overall, the Wildcats have an ATS mark of 16-12 this season.
On the season, the over/under record for Kentucky games is 20-8 and the average scoring total in their games is 167.1 points. Today’s over/under line of 167.5 is higher than the average OU line in their games this year (158.1). Over their last three games, the average scoring total is 180 points and their over/under record in those games is 2-1.
Arkansas Offense Breakdown
Coming off their recent game, the Arkansas offense tallied 82 points in a matchup against Vanderbilt. Their field goal percentage for the game was 40.4%, and they made 10 threes. Leading Arkansas in scoring vs. Vanderbilt was Khalif Battle with his 36 points. El Ellis also added 19 points for the Razorbacks.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tramon Mark (G) | 16.9 | 4.2 | 1.6 |
| Khalif Battle (G) | 12.7 | 2.7 | 1.2 |
| Makhi Mitchell (F) | 7.2 | 4.5 | 1.0 |
Kentucky Offense Breakdown
In their recent matchup, the Kentucky offense ended with 91 points against Mississippi State. They finished with an overall field goal percentage of 55% and made 10 threes. The top scorer for the Wildcats was Reed Sheppard with 32 points, while Antonio Reeves also added 21 to the scoreboard.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antonio Reeves (G) | 19.9 | 4.1 | 1.7 |
| Rob Dillingham (G) | 14.8 | 2.9 | 3.8 |
| Reed Sheppard (G) | 12.5 | 4.4 | 4.2 |
Arkansas Team Defense
Facing Kentucky, Arkansas aims for a better defensive performance, given their current average of 77.9 points allowed per game (289th). In terms of field goal percentage allowed, Arkansas’ defense has allowed opponents to shoot 44.1% from the field, including a three-point shooting percentage allowed of 34.3% this season.
Kentucky Team Defense
Coming into the game, Kentucky will be looking to improve their defense, as they are currently giving up 78.3 points per game (296th). On average, opposing teams are hitting 8.4 threes per game vs. Arkansas. This has come on three-point shooting percentage of 32.0%.
Razorbacks vs Wildcats Trends
- In their last three road games, Arkansas has averaged 73 points per game while allowing 79. The team’s record in this stretch was 1-2 while going 2-1.
- Kentucky has played well in their previous three home games, going 2-1 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 78 points per game while allowing 74. The team also performed well vs the spread at 2-1.
- Looking back on the team’s last five games as the underdog, the Razorbacks have a straight up record of 2-3. Their record vs the spread in these games was 3-2.
- In their last five games as the betting favorite, the Wildcats have a strong straight up record of 3-2. In addition, their ATS record was 3-2 in these scenarios.
Razorbacks vs Wildcats Prediction
For a point-spread wager in this Wildcats vs. Wildcats game, we suggest taking the Wildcats at -13.5. Even though our predictions have the Wildcats winning 75-70, we see the Razorbacks as the better choice on the point-spread.
As for the over/under, the the line is currently at 167.5, and our model projects the Razorbacks and Wildcats to reach a combined total of 145 points. Our bet is on taking the under.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:March 2, 2024 Arkansas Razorbacks, Kentucky Wildcats