Arkansas vs. Vanderbilt: TV details, key players, BetSaracen odds (SECT)
The Arkansas Razorbacks (15-16, 6-12 SEC) will open SEC Tournament play Wednesday against the Vanderbilt Commodores (9-22, 4-14 SEC) on Wednesday inside Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.
Arkansas sophomore guard Keyon Menifield did not make the trip to Nashville for the SEC Tournament to work on academics, per a team release minutes before tipoff.
Arkansas and Vanderbilt met once during the regular season on Feb. 27, when the Commodores picked up an 85-82 win over the Razorbacks inside Bud Walton Arena. Losses like that are a big reason why the Hogs have to win the SEC Tournament if they want to extend their season and make the NCAA Tournament.
Led by fifth-year head coach Jerry Stackhouse, the Commodores might have the win over the Hogs, but their season has been otherwise extremely disappointing as well.
"They have three players that are playing at a high level and Coach Stackhouse does a great job of getting (Ezra) Manjon and (Tyrin) Lawrence and (Ven-Allen) Lubin inside, he gets those three guys the basketball and then they have other guys that are surrounding those guys that can make threes," Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman said Monday. "But certainly, we’ve gone back and today will be another day where we’ll show video of the last game."
Although Arkansas lost three of its last four games in the regular season, it has been playing better basketball by averaging 91.5 points per game in that stretch. The issue is, the Razorbacks have also allowed 92.8 points per game during that span.
"I think the team has played confident," Musselman said. "I think our last three road games on weekends were Mississippi State, Kentucky and Alabama. Those are three hard places to play. All you have to do is look at their home record. We didn’t win them, but we gave ourselves, or we had an opportunity to win all three of those games.
"So I think that it’s a confident, or a more confident team than we were earlier. And I do think this particular group knows where shots are coming from and who they’re coming from."
Arkansas is 5-1 versus the Commodores in the SEC Tournament, including a 2-1 mark in games played in Nashville. The Razorbacks are 4-3 in the SEC Tournament under Musselman, including 1-0 against Vanderbilt.
Here's details on how to watch/listen, betting lines courtesy of BetSaracen and HawgBeat's pick:
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How to Watch/Listen
Who: Arkansas Razorbacks (15-16, 6-12 SEC) vs. Vanderbilt Commodores (9-22, 4-14 SEC)
When: Wednesday, March 13 at 6 p.m. CT
Where: Nashville, Tenn. — Bridgestone Arena (19,891)
TV/Stream: SEC Network/Watch ESPN (Tom Hart and Daymeon Fishback)
Radio: Learfield Razorback Sports Network (Chuck Barrett and Matt Zimmerman)
Sirius/XM: 160 Sirius / 1901 XM / 971 SXM App
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SPREAD/TOTALS:
Moneyline:
Arkansas: -250
Vanderbilt: +220
Spread:
Arkansas: -6.5 (-105)
Vanderbilt: +6.5 (-115)
Totals:
Total Points:
OVER 148.5 (-110)
UNDER 148.5 (-110)
Team Totals:
Arkansas OVER 77.5 (-110)
Arkansas UNDER 77.5 (-120)
Vanderbilt OVER 71.5 (-115)
Vanderbilt UNDER 71.5 (-115)
Double R Props
- Arkansas team over 10.5 assists and over 3.5 blocks (-130)
- Makhi Mitchell over 8.5 points and over 0.5 blocks (-115)
- Khalif Battle and El Ellis over 19.5 combined field goal attempts and over 5.5 combined assists (+125)
- Tramon Mark over 14.5 points and over 6.5 total free throws attempted (+115)
- Trevon Brazile over 9.5 points and over 5.5 total rebounds (+250)
(Alternate lines, spreads, team totals and more player props are available on the BetSaracen mobile app.)
(Lines and odds are subject to change at any point after the publishing of this story. HawgBeat does not guarantee any bet as a winner or loser. You must be at least 21 years of age to use BetSaracen. If you have a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit 1800gambler.net)
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HAWGBEAT'S PICK: Over 148.5 total points (-110)
The over/under for Arkansas' final game of the regular season at Alabama was set at 173.5 total points. To be fair, the Crimson Tide are the nation's No. 1 scoring offense, but Arkansas' last four games have averaged 184.3 total points — including the loss to Vanderbilt that featured 167 combined point.
Two of Vanderbilt's three games after the Arkansas game went over 148.5, as well, so this seems to be a safe play.