NCAAB Odds, Pick for Arkansas vs Ole Miss

Ole Miss and Arkansas battle on the hardwood on Tuesday night in a SEC matchup between two teams looking to get back on track.

The Rebels won their first 13 games of the season, but have dropped three of five in SEC play, including each of past two.

Meanwhile, the Razorbacks have also struggled in league play as they're 1-4 in conference and 10-8 overall.

This tough start in the SEC feels very familiar for Arkansas under coach Eric Musselman. In the 2020-21 campaign, the Razorbacks opened with a 2-4 conference record before winning 12 straight league games en route to reaching the Elite 8.

In the following season, Arkansas went winless in the opening three SEC games, but won 14 of its final 15 conference contests before again advancing beyond the Sweet 16. This is the same program that was 1-5 in SEC play and still reached the Sweet 16 last season.

One way to get this campaign back on track is to continue swatting shots on the defensive end of the floor. Musselman’s team only trails Bryant and Appalachian State in blocks per game at 6.5.

The Razorbacks also need to lean on veteran leader Davonte Davis. The senior guard is seven assists away from becoming Arkansas' second player to ever reach 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 300 assists in his career.

After finishing with an unbeaten nonconference record, Ole Miss has started to hit some speed bumps on the road in the SEC.

However, the team has been solid overall and veteran scorer Matthew Murrell is a big reason why. The senior guard became the 42nd member of the 1,000-point club at Ole Miss and continues to climb up the record books.

Allen Flanigan has also stepped up this season. The Auburn transfer is averaging 16.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.

The must-have app for college basketball bettors

The best NCAAB betting scoreboard

Free picks from proven pros

Live win probabilities for your bets

DOWNLOAD NOW

Coming into this game, I was looking to back the Rebels at home, but I don’t like the fact that they are rated as the team with the highest luck grade by Shot Quality.

With that said, my best bet is for Ole Miss to win the Race to 5 Points at -130 odds or better at FanDuel. This prop will get posted closer to opening tip on Wednesday.

On the season, this bet has cashed in 15 of the Rebels’ 17 contests. One of the key reasons is Jamarion Sharp, who stands at 7-foot-5.

Thanks to Sharp, Beard's team has won the opening tip in 14 games and often scores the first basket. Meanwhile, Arkansas has started much slower. The Razorbacks' opponents have reached five points faster in 12 of 18 contests.

One key note on this bet is the fact that Beard has shifted his starting lineup in the past four games to include Moussa Cisse at center over Sharp. Cisse is also a 7-footer and has won the opening tip three times.

I prefer Sharp for this play, but Cisse still has a height advantage over any Arkansas starter. I’ll keep riding this play until it trends the other way.

Pick: Ole Miss Race to 5 | Play at -130 or Better

ESPN Bet is now live! Make sure you're ready for all the action with our exclusive ESPN BET promo code TANBONUS.