The Ole Miss Rebels host the No. 17 Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday afternoon in an SEC Tournament semifinal. The game tips off at 3:30 p.m. ET in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Razorbacks are listed as 9.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook with the total set at O/U 158.5 points. Below is my full preview, prediction and pick for this SEC college basketball matchup.
Ole Miss vs. Arkansas prediction, preview
It has been an incredible Cinderella run through the SEC Tournament for Ole Miss. The Rebels had the second-worst record in the SEC this year, but they are now just two wins away from stealing a bid to the NCAA Tournament. Ole Miss had lost 12 of its past 13 games to end the regular season. This looked like a completely defeated team that was ready for the season to end. However, Chris Beard found a way to spark his team before this SEC Tournament. The Rebels have pulled off three straight upsets over Texas, Georgia and No. 15 Alabama. The duo of Malik Dia and AJ Storr is leading the way for Ole Miss and looking dangerous. The biggest concern is stamina, as the Rebels are set to play their fourth game in four days. However, their current momentum is as positive as can be.
Arkansas looks incredibly dangerous at the moment. The Razorbacks have been a top-25 team for most of the season. However, they seem to be clicking at the right time heading into March Madness. Superstar freshman guard Darius Acuff Jr. was forced to miss the regular-season finale with a minor injury. However, he made his return last night against Oklahoma and dropped 37 points on the Sooners. It’s safe to say that there is no concern around the health of the SEC’s leading scorer. Acuff is the exact type of superstar guard that has guided so many teams on deep runs through the NCAA Tournament. However, Arkansas would love to get an SEC title in its back pocket before heading to the Big Dance.
Ole Miss vs. Arkansas pick
My best bet for this game is for Arkansas to go over its team total of 84.5 points. This is a really tough test for Ole Miss. Granted, the Rebels have passed three big tests in a row. However, playing a fourth game in four days is the time when fatigue could really start to set in. Last night, they had to play Alabama, one of the fastest-paced teams in the country. Alabama ranks fourth in the nation in adjusted tempo, so Ole Miss had to do a lot of running up and down the floor last night. Less than 24 hours later, they face another team looking to push the pace. Arkansas ranks 21st in the nation in adjusted tempo. Meanwhile, this is just the Razorbacks’ second game this week, compared to Ole Miss’s four games.
When these teams faced off in the regular season, it was a track meet. Ole Miss had absolutely no answer for Darius Acuff Jr. and Arkansas. Acuff scored 26 points en route to a 94-87 Arkansas win. Ole Miss was able to run with Arkansas in that game, but came up a bit short due to an inability to get stops. Ole. Miss should struggle to get stops again this time around. The Rebels could also run out of gas down the stretch, which is why I’m taking the Arkansas team total over, rather than the full game over.
