On paper, No. 4 Kentucky, one of three SEC co-leaders, should have little trouble with Arkansas on Tuesday night and the Wildcats are big NCAAB odds favorites. However, might Kentucky be caught looking ahead to this Saturday’s mega-matchup vs. Tennessee?
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How to Bet Arkansas at Kentucky NCAA Basketball Betting Lines & Game Info
“The camaraderie, you see it and you feel it. … This team is a bunch of players that work, that are in the gym all the time, that are for each other. It’s really neat to see.” – @UKCoachCalipari
Live stream ➡️ https://t.co/gneC9hgT0g pic.twitter.com/zZ8LlJOLXC — Kentucky Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) 25 de febrero de 2019
- When: Tuesday, 9 PM ET
- Where: Rupp Arena
- TV: SEC Network
- Live Stream: WatchESPN
- NCAA Basketball Betting Lines: Kentucky Wildcats -16.5 (Total 143)
Duke vs Virginia Tech NCAAB Odds, Preview & Pick
Season Series
Only scheduled meeting. Last year, they also played just once and UK prevailed 87-72. Kevin Knox (now in the NBA) lead the Cats with 23 points. Knox was one of five players to finish in double figures for Kentucky, which shot 46.3 percent (31 of 67) in the win and overcame an early 11-point deficit.
After Arkansas took a 61-56 lead midway through the half, Kentucky outscored the Razorbacks 31-11 to end the game — thanks in large part to a 23-12 rebounding edge in the half and 46-29 advantage for the game. Daryl Macon scored 26 points to lead the Razorbacks, who have lost the past six in the series.
Why Bet on Arkansas?
The Razorbacks lost their fifth in a row Saturday, 87-80 at home to Texas A&M. Savion Flagg scored 22 and Wendell Mitchell added 20 for the Aggies, who have won four of their last five games and avenged a home loss to Arkansas (14-13, 5-9) on Jan. 5. Arkansas pulled within two points with 8:21 remaining in the second half, but Flagg drilled a fast-break 3-pointer and spurred an 11-2 run that essentially put the game out of reach.
Texas A&M out-rebounded the Razorbacks 35-25 and made 25 free throws on 34 attempts, compared to 15-of-21 by the Razorbacks. While Arkansas shot 47.6 percent from the field, A&M made 58.3 percent of its field goals.
Daniel Gafford, who was 5-of-5 from the field in the second half, recorded his ninth double-double of the season, scoring 23 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. Isaiah Joe added 20 while Mason Jones contributed 11. Joe made two 3-pointers to tie Pat Bradley for fifth on the school’s single-single season list. Bradley made 93 3-pointers in both the 1998 and 1999 seasons.
The Arkansas record for 3’s made in a season is 102 by Scotty Thurman in 1994-95. At Joe’s current pace of finishing with 112 3-pointers made, he would threaten the SEC freshman leader for 3-pointers made. The current record is 113 by Kentucky’ Jamal Murray (2015-16). If Joe finishes with 112 3-pointers made, he would rank sixth all-time among NCAA freshman.
Gafford is one of just two players in the NCAA to shoot at least 60 percent from the field and average at least 15.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.9 blocked shots. Gafford ranks fifth in the NCAA in field goal percentage and is the only player in the SEC to rank among the top 10 in field goal percentage, scoring, rebounding, blocked shots, offensive rebounds, and defensive rebounds.
Team Stats
Offense- Total Score: 76.26
- Field Goal Percentage: 44.55
- Three-Point Percentage: 32.35
- Free Throw Percentage: 66.20
- Total Rebounds: 34.48
Defense
- Total Score: 73.93
- Field Goal Percentage: 42.47
- Three-Point Percentage: 34.19
- Free Throw Percentage: 69.49
- Total Rebounds: 38.52
Why Bet on Kentucky?
The Cats won for the 13th time in 14 games Saturday, 80-53 over Auburn. Coach John Calipari surpassed Joe B. Hall on the school’s career wins list and is second behind Adolph Rupp.
Calipari is 298-68 in 10 seasons with the Wildcats. Hall compiled a 297-100 record in 13 seasons and led the Wildcats to a national championship in 1978.
Kentucky played without senior forward Reid Travis, who sprained his right ankle in a 66-58 win at Missouri last Tuesday. Travis is expected to miss the next two weeks. Freshman EJ Montgomery started in Travis’ absence and scored six points. UK put the game away by scoring 11 straight points to open the second half and led by as many as 33. The 27-point margin of victory is the Wildcats’ biggest vs. Auburn since defeating the Tigers 110-75 during the memorable 2014-15 season.
Auburn shot 32.8 percent from the field. UK is 177-15 (.922) under Calipari when keeping the opponent at 40 percent or less, including 13-0 this season. Kentucky shot 54.5 percent from the field, the Wildcats’ 11th game this season of at least 50 percent. The Wildcats are 11-0 in those games. Kentucky won the rebounding 43-24 and points in the paint 30-22. UK is now 19-2 this season when winning/tying the rebounding and 20-3 when prevailing in the paint.
PJ Washington led the way with 24 points, the sixth straight game he has led UK in scoring. He made a career-best five 3-pointers. It was his 10th 20-point game of the season and his eighth in the last 10 games. He is averaging 21.0 points over the last 10 games. Keldon Johnson totaled eight points, a career-high 17 rebounds, and a career-high five assists. Tyler Herro scored 17 points, including 3 of 6 on 3-pointers. UK is 14-0 this season when he scores at least 15.
Team Stats
Offense- Total Score: 78.26
- Field Goal Percentage: 48.04
- Three-Point Percentage: 35.94
- Free Throw Percentage: 74.72
- Total Rebounds: 38.78
Defense
- Total Score: 64.89
- Field Goal Percentage: 40.26
- Three-Point Percentage: 34.65
- Free Throw Percentage: 69.34
- Total Rebounds: 29.19
Arkansas at Kentucky NCAA Basketball Betting Trends
- Favorite is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings
- Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings
- Home team is 9-3 ATS in the last 12 meetings
- Arkansas is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
- Arkansas is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Arkansas’s last 6 games on the road
- Kentucky is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home
- Kentucky is 15-1 SU in its last 16 games at home
- The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Kentucky’s last 7 games at home
Expert NCAAB Betting Prediction
We think Kentucky is caught looking ahead to Saturday. Take the points.
