The Colgate Raiders (14-1) take on the Arkansas Razorbacks (22-6) in an NCAA South Region First Round Game Friday. The 14th-seeded Raiders and third-seeded Razorbacks will tip-off at 12:45 p.m. ET at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Below, we analyze the Colgate-Arkansas odds and lines, with March Madness NCAA Tournament picks and predictions.
The Razorbacks went 9-1 over their last 10 games with an SEC tourney loss snapping a nine-game winning streak. Over those 10 games, they’ve held opposing shooters to a 40.4% mark from the field. G Moses Moody is leading Arkansas in scoring at 17.4 points per game. The freshman sensation has come on strong of late and shot 40.0% from distance in averaging 21.8 PPG over his last six games.
The Raiders didn’t begin their season until Jan. 2. They played Army in their first two games, losing the second of those but CU hasn’t lost since. The Raiders take good care of the basketball while playing a fast tempo. Three-hundred-and-forty-seven teams have played NCAA-I basketball this winter; Colgate has averaged more points per game (86.3) than 345 of them.
Arkansas vs. Colgate: Odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 3:05 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Colgate +333 (bet $100 to win $333) | Arkansas -450 (bet $450 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Colgate +8.5 (-110) | Arkansas -8.5 (-110)
- Over/Under: 161.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Arkansas vs. Colgate: Odds, lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Arkansas 82, Colgate 77
Money line (ML)
Senior guard play leads the way for the Raiders: G Jordan Burns, G Jack Ferguson, and G Nelly Cummings are CU’s top three scorers. Burns is the fifth-leading scorer in the Patriot League with 17.0 points per game and the circuit’s top assist distributor with 5.3 per game. Those guards have led a CU squad that went a combined 25-for-42 from 3-point range the last two games.
PASS on the current tag, but consider Colgate if the plus figure gets to +360 or so.
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Against the spread (ATS)
The Raiders are 19-7 ATS in their last 26 games against winning teams.
The 3s can keep the Raiders at a single-digit deficit. Or perhaps get them under the wire for a late back-door cover. TAKE COLGATE +8.5 (-110).
Over/Under (O/U)
This game has been one of the more heavily bet contests mid-week, and here’s the reason: Colgate and Arkansas are fast-paced fives.
The total accounts for that but perhaps goes a couple of points too far. BACK UNDER 161.5 (-110).
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