With three games left in their regular season schedule, the Kentucky Wildcats (23-5, 12-3 SEC) head to Arkansas to take on the Razorbacks (22-6, 11-4 SEC). Kentucky has a two-game winning streak after a 13-point loss at Tennessee; since then, they beat Alabama by nine and LSU by five, with both wins coming at home. Arkansas has won three in a row since losing at Alabama by one; before that, the Razorbacks had won nine in a row. Their last three wins have come at Missouri, at home against Tennessee and at Florida. Planning to add this SEC matchup to your College Basketball betting? Read our preview.
NCAA Preview: Kentucky at Arkansas (Saturday, February 26)
When: Saturday, February 26, 2002, 2:00 pm ET
Where: Bud Walton Arena, Fayetteville, AR
TV: CBS
Radio: No National Broadcast
Live Stream: Hulu
Why should you bet on the Wildcats?
On Wednesday night, the Wildcats needed a ferocious rally to catch up to and pass LSU, and then they needed another strong stretch to hold on for the win. Bryce Hopkins came off the bench to notch a career high with 13 points, including 11 in a 15-2 run in the second half. The Wildcats came in shorthanded, and LSU went into the locker room at halftime up eight and sustained that lead into the second half. Hopkins went 5 of 6 from the floor and had four boards in 16 minutes; he had not played more than four minutes in any game since January 15.
Kentucky pushed the lead to 65-50, but then LSU mounted its own rally, drawing to within 68-64 with 33.2 seconds left. Three key free throws in the waning seconds helped to seal the victory despite the absence of starting guards TyTy Washington Jr and Sahvir Wheeler. Davion Mintz scored 13 points, and Oscar Tshiebwe added 17 points and 16 boards. Washington and Wheeler remain questionable for Saturday, so you will want to check their latest status before making your wager.
Why should you put your money on the Razorbacks?
Arkansas has emerged as a real danger in the SEC, but it looked like Florida was going to take down another conference titan at home after beating Auburn last week. The Gators were up five with under eight minutes left in regulation, and Razorbacks big man Jaylin Williams drew his fourth foul. However, the Razorbacks responded with a 7-0 run in just three offensive possessions, and J.D. Notae drained a three-ball with 1:10 left to make it a two-possession game. After that, it was a matter of free throws, and Arkansas won at Florida for the first time since 1995.
Tyree Appleby put up 19 points and four assists for Arkansas, and Jaylin Williams drew several crucial offensive fouls and also kept the passing lanes from being easy for Florida defending the roll. He had 15 points and 10 boards scoring for multiple levels, and the Razorbacks had four different players pull down six boards, while the Gators had no one grab more than five. Arkansas has shown a great deal of mental toughness, a trait that they will need on Saturday if they want to beat Kentucky at home.
Final Score and Betting Prediction
Kentucky has some adversity in the form of injuries, and even if Washington and Wheeler are back, they may have a little rust after missing a few games. Arkansas has put together a terrific streak once the season shifted to conference play, and they should take care of business at home. It won’t be easy, but I predict a final score of Arkansas 78, Kentucky 7
