Alabama (18-5) at Arkansas (17-5)
When: Wednesday, February 24th, 2021
Where: Bud Walton Arena,
Fayetteville, AR
Time: 9:00 ET | TV: ESPN
Opening Odds: Arkansas -1/156.5
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The Arkansas Razorbacks will look to avenge one of their worst setbacks of the season when they host the Alabama Crimson Tide on Wednesday night at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Razorbacks scored just 19 points in the first half on 6-of-26 shooting while committing 12 turnovers in the 90-59 loss in Tuscaloosa on Jan. 16. Arkansas will also be eager to get back on the court after having their game on Saturday at Texas A&M postponed because of COVID-19 issues within the Aggies’ program. The Razorbacks last played on Feb. 16 when they took care of the Florida Gators 75-64 as 4.5-point home favorites – their fourth consecutive win and cover. In fact, Arkansas is one of the hottest teams in the SEC right now, winning seven of their last eight with the lone loss coming out of conference to Oklahoma State. The Razorbacks are ranked for the first time in over three years and are 13-1 at home (8-4-1 ATS). Alabama is ranked in the top ten for the first time since 2002 (No. 6) and can clinch a share of the SEC regular season title with a win Wednesday. The Tide had some trouble with Vanderbilt on Saturday, winning 82-78, but failing to cover the big 14-point spread. Backup guard Jahvon Quinerly made a game-clinching free throw with two seconds left helped the Tide avoid the major upset. Alabama hit 15-of-36 attempts from three-point land in last month’s win over Arkansas, breaking a six-game winning streak in the series for the Razorbacks. Arkansas is 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings and the under is 4-1 in the last five.
The Tide shot just 33.3 percent from the field in the win over the Commodores on Saturday and average 80.9 points a game – 22nd-best in the country. However, the team ranks 201st in shooting the basketball (43.7 percent). Alabama averages 10.9 made three-pointers per game, but more impressively, rank 16th in defending the perimeter (29.2 percent). The team got some good news last week as forward Jordan Bruner (right knee) returned to its lineup against Vanderbilt after missing the previous nine games. Jaden Shackelford led the team on Saturday with a season-high 27 points in 36 minutes off the bench and it could have been even better if it wasn’t for his dismal 1-of-9 from beyond the arc. Alex Reese was the only starter to score in double-digits (10) as the bench easily outscored the starting five on Saturday.
Arkansas is averaging 75.8 points in their last four games, while allowing just 67.5. In the loss to Alabama, the Razorbacks were too reliant on Moses Moody who scored nearly half of his team’s total points with 28 points on 10-of-25 shooting. Moody scored 17 points in their win over Florida last time out and leads the team with 16.2 points per game. He is also shooting 44 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from long range. The Razorbacks will host LSU next before closing the regular season at South Carolina on March 2.
The Razorbacks are playing extremely well right now and have been very good at home – 4-1 ATS last five. They also hold opponents to under 40 percent shooting at home and just 25.8 percent from 3-point territory. This is also a prime revenge spot for Arkansas after getting annihilated at Alabama last month. This is a much better team now.
Pick: Arkansas PK
