SEC Tournament: No. 22 Vanderbilt vs No. 17 Arkansas Preview, Odds, Predictions (March 15)
- The Commodores seek their second consecutive NCAA Tournament berth.
- The Razorbacks look to make their fifth NCAA Tournament this decade.
- This marks the 48th all-time matchup between the two SEC squads.
The college basketball world is set for a final finish throughout March 14, involving an intriguing duel between the No. 22 Vanderbilt Commodores and the No. 17 Arkansas Razorbacks. The former stands out as the slight favorite, paving the way for one of these squads to come out on top as the SEC Tournament champions.
How to Watch
- When: Saturday, March 15, 1 pm ET
- Where: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee
- How to Watch: ESPN
NCAA Matchup Odds & Lines
| Team | Odds | Spread | Totals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vanderbilt | -110 | -2 | O164.5 |
| Arkansas | -110 | +2 | U164.5 |
Game Preview
The No. 22 Commodores (26-7, 11-7 SEC) have made significant noise in the SEC Tournament, taking down Tennessee and stunning national contenders Florida to reach the final round. Tyler Tanner led the squad with a game-high 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field, with the sophomore National Player of the Year candidate adding eight assists against only one turnover against Florida. Meanwhile, Jalen Washington came off the bench to connect on 6-of-8 shots on the way to scoring 17 points and Duke Miles contributed with 15 points.
Things are going great for the No. 17 Razorbacks (25-8, 13-5 SEC) in the conference tournament. They enjoyed a bye to the quarterfinals, beating the likes of Oklahoma and Ole Miss to reach the championship game and have a chance at automatically qualifying for the NCAA Tournament. Meleek Thomas scored 29 points with five assists and five rebounds to lead the Razorbacks against Ole Miss while Darius Acuff Jr. finished with 24 points and seven assists. Also, Arkansas got double-doubles from Malique Ewin (14 pts and 13 rebs) and Trevon Brazile (16 pts and 10 rebs) to advance.
Vanderbilt vs Arkansas Head-to-Head
The two programs have had 47 meetings in their history, and the result is 32-15 for the Razorbacks. The last matchup was in January this year when Arkansas won 93-68 at home.
Vanderbilt vs Arkansas Predictions
The SEC may not have the likes of Florida being in the conference championship game, but they will enjoy the solid showdown between Arkansas and Vanderbilt. Both teams bring a lot to the table with their playstyles, as the Razorbacks follow a familiar system with John Calipari while the Commodores are on the rise as a potential heavyweight in the long term. This game will go down to the wire as both squads can look forward to the art of March Madness. Our betting pick here is for the Razorbacks to cover a 2-point spread.
- Free NCAAB pick: Arkansas Razorbacks +2
