Arkansas vs LSU Odds, Pick
| Arkansas Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+5.5 -105 | 152.5 -105o / -115u | +200 |
| LSU Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-5.5 -115 | 152.5 -105o / -115u | -250 |
Two teams that find themselves near the bottom of the SEC standings will face off in Baton Rouge, as Arkansas travels to LSU on Saturday.
Both teams could use a victory to get their seasons back on track.
LSU has now lost three consecutive games, falling at home to Texas A&M before heading on the road and losing competitive games to Georgia and Alabama. The Tigers allowed 109 points to the Crimson Tide a week ago and have had seven days off in between that game and this one.
Arkansas has found itself at the center of the rumor mill, with Devo Davis leaving the team and Trevon Brazile also missing the last few games.
The Razorbacks have now lost six of their last eight games, and the wheels have fallen off from the team that showed promise earlier in the season. They have just two wins over KenPom top-100 teams all season and have lost nine times to that same group.
The Hogs did just pick up a victory at Missouri, so they'll have reason for optimism heading into this spot.
Arkansas Razorbacks
This version of Arkansas is by far Eric Musselman's worst team since he has taken over in Fayetteville. Muss shot his shot at plenty of highly-touted transfers, and the results have been a bit all over the place.
At its peak, Arkansas has looked like it can beat anyone in the country. It went toe-to-toe with Purdue in a secret scrimmage before the season and even knocked off Duke at home during the nonconference portion of the schedule.
But at their worst, the Hogs are one of the sloppiest units in all of college basketball.
Players coming in and out of the lineup has led to inconsistency across the board. Arkansas ranks 136th offensively and 95th defensively. Its biggest strengths are getting to the free-throw line on offense and blocking shots on defense.
It's hard to project which version of Arkansas will show up for any given game because half the time, we don't know which players will be on the court.
LSU Tigers
On the flip side, LSU has been much more consistent, but that's not necessarily a good thing. The Tigers have now lost four of their last five games, but they do hold an 8-3 record at home.
LSU likes to play fast, ranking 49th in tempo on the offensive end. But overall, the Tigers offense ranks just 112th in efficiency. They often struggle to score for key stretches of big games, and it comes back to bite them in the end.
The Bayou Bengals are much better on the defensive end, where they rank 60th nationally. They force a bunch of turnovers on a game-to-game basis and rank 14th nationally in steal percentage.
If they can pressure Arkansas' guards into some mistakes, LSU will have a great chance to win and cover.
Arkansas vs LSU
Betting Pick & Prediction
It's hard to trust both of these teams given their current form, but LSU has already demonstrated that it's vulnerable at home against bad teams. After all, this is a group that lost to Nicholls in Baton Rouge in November.
Arkansas has the talent to keep this one close, and based on its last performance on the road at Missouri, things are turning a bit for the Razorbacks. Take Arkansas to cover.
Pick: Arkansas +5
