Bets and analysis for Wednesday's men's college basketball matchups featuring No. 14 Arkansas welcoming LSU and Iowa State hosting Oklahoma State.
With Selection Sunday only 11 days away, sports bettors are focused on the last few days of the regular season in NCAA Men’s college basketball.
Wednesday’s slate offers bettors solid investment opportunities highlighted by an intriguing SEC clash and a Big 12 showdown. All four teams are hoping to improve their seedings ahead of next week’s respective Conference Tournaments.
Let’s dive into the matchups!
Check the Latest NCAA Men's Basketball Lines at SI Sportsbook
Michael Woods/AP
LSU (20-9, 8-8 SEC) at No. 14 Arkansas (23-6, 12-4)
Spread: LSU +5.5 (-110) | Arkansas -5.5 (-118)
Total: 140.5 – Over (-118) | Under 140 (-110)
Venue: Bud Walton Arena, Fayetteville, Ark.
Game Info: Wednesday, March 2, 2022 | 9 p.m. ET | ESPN2
Editor's Note - Odds are subject to change.
The line has ticked up since opening in favor of No. 14 Arkansas (23-6 straight-up (SU); 18-10-1 against the spread (ATS)) as a 5-point home favorite over LSU (20-9 SU, 18-11 ATS) to a 5.5-point demand at SI Sportsbook.
LSU heads to Fayetteville looking to snap a two-game road losing skid, as well as improve an abysmal 3-7 SU road record. In addition to owning a pedestrian 5-5 ATS road mark, the Tigers are a disappointing 4-6 ATS over their last 10 games overall.
The Tigers lean heavily on a frontcourt consisting of Tari Eason, who ranks seventh in the SEC in scoring at 16.5 points per game as well as Darius Days (13.1 ppg).
Three starters for LSU scored less than seven points against Arkansas in the first matchup, which was easily the biggest reason why LSU came up short in a 65-58 loss against the Razorbacks as 6.5-point home favorites.
Arkansas, fresh off a 75-73 home win over Kentucky, gets to remain home in the friendly confines of Bud Walton Arena, where they are an impressive 16-1 this season. The Razorbacks have translated those wins into financial rewards for bettors at the betting windows, as the club has posted a solid 10-6-1 ATS mark at home.
The Razorbacks are 13-1 in their last 14 games and that one loss was a one-point defeat to No.. 25 Alabama. Arkansas knocked off then-No. 1 Auburn and has posted impressive wins over No. 13 Tennessee and No. 7 Kentucky in recent weeks.
Senior guard JD Notae is the SEC’s second leading scorer behind only Scottie Pippen Jr. of Vanderbilt at 19.1 points per game. Notae poured in 30 points in the win over the Kentucky last weekend and is playing at elite level for Eric Musselman's squad.
Arkansas, who has won three of the last five meetings against LSU, is desperate for a win Wednesday night as it attempts to keep pace with Auburn, Kentucky and Tennessee for the No. 1 seed in next week’s SEC Tournament in Nashville.
Respected money in early wagering believes that the Razorbacks, who have thrived at home this season, will sweep LSU in the regular season.
BET: Arkansas -5.5
Charlie Neibergall/AP
Oklahoma State (13-15, 6-10 Big 12) vs. Iowa State (20-9, 7-9)
Spread: Oklahoma St +4 (-110) | Iowa State -4 (-118)
Total: 130– Over (-118) | Under 130 (-110)
Venue: Hilton Coliseum, Ames, Iowa
Game Info: Wednesday, March 2, 2022 | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN+
Editor's Note - Odds are subject to change.
The line has slightly increased since opening in favor of Iowa State (20-9 SU; 16-13 ATS) as a 3.5-point favorite over Oklahoma State (13-15 SU; 10-16-2 ATS) at SI Sportsbook.
Oklahoma State, who is 2-8 on the road this season, will look to snap a six-game road losing streak on Wednesday night against Iowa State. The Cowboys have burned bettors away from Stillwater by posting a disappointing 2-6-2 ATS mark.
In the first meeting at the end of January, Iowa State beat Oklahoma State, 84-81, in overtime as a 3-point road underdogs thanks to the sharp shooting of Izaiah Brockington, who scored a team-high 26 points. On the flip side, junior guard Avery Anderson led the Cowboys in scoring with a career-high 34 points buoyed by hitting 5 of 11 from beyond the arc, as well as 11 of 13 from the free-throw line.
The Cyclones, who opened February with four straight losses, have since turned things around, winning four consecutive conference games. Iowa State proved lucrative for bettors to back during that stretch by posting a 3-1 ATS mark.
Iowa State, who is 14-4 SU in Ames this season, has only translated that into a 9-9 ATS record in those contests.
The respected money in Vegas immediately backed the Cyclones when this line opened Tuesday afternoon. Let’s follow their lead and lay the points against an Oklahoma State squad that is only winning at a 20% clip on the road this season.
BET: Iowa State -4
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Frankie Taddeo is a successful high-stakes fantasy football player who created the first-ever DFS program ever offered in a Las Vegas sportsbook. Frankie is SI Betting's Senior Analyst and provides his significant experience and resources in the sports betting scene. You can follow Frankie on Twitter @Frankie_Fantasy for his latest betting and fantasy insights from Las Vegas.
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