The Arkansas Razorbacks (7-2) and the Troy Trojans (5-5) battle at Verizon Arena. Arkansas opened as an 18-point favorite, while the games Over/Under (O/U) has been set at 159.5 points. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, December 16, 2017.
Troy Trojans vs. Arkansas Razorbacks Free Preview
In the Trojans last matchup, they were blown out by the Southern Miss Golden Eagles, 89-71. Troy’s Wesley Person had a solid game, leading the team in scoring with 20 points on 8-for-16 shooting. Converting at the free throw line was one of Southern Miss largest strengths. They were 16-19 (84.2 percent), while the Trojans were just 4-6 (66.7 percent).
The Razorbacks come in on a high note after beating the No. 14 Minnesota Golden Gophers in their last contest, 95-79. With 22 points on 9-for-15 shooting, Jaylen Barford was the games leading scorer. The Razorbacks had an extraordinary effective field goal percentage of 0.647 (above their season average of 0.545) and had a turnover percentage of 10.9 (better than their season average of 13.4).
The high-powered offense of Arkansas will square off against the mid-tier defense of Troy. Since the 2016-17 season, the Razorbacks rank 35th in offensive efficiency, while the Trojans are 214th in defensive efficiency. The Razorbacks figure to have the advantage on that end of the court.
Of Troy’s 8 games that accepted bets, four have finished over the O/U total, while 6 of Arkansas 9 games have finished over the projected point total. Looking at straight up (SU) and against the spread (ATS) records, the Razorbacks have a clear advantage. They are 7-2 SU and 6-3 ATS, while the Trojans are 5-5 SU and 4-4 ATS.
Person has been outstanding over the last five games for Troy, averaging 23.0 points per game.
Troy Trojans vs. Arkansas Razorbacks Prediction
Predictions: SU Winner – Arkansas, ATS Winner – Arkansas, O/U – Over
Betting Notes (2016-Present):
- The Trojans are 11th in the NCAA with 3.0 blocks allowed per game while the Razorbacks are 44th with 3.2 blocks allowed per game.
- Troy ranks 18th in three pointers attempted per game (24.4) while Arkansas ranks 184th (18.2).
- The Razorbacks rank 42nd in assists per game (14.4) while the Trojans rank 132nd (13.2).
- Arkansas ranks 38th in steals allowed per game (5.2) while Troy ranks 109th (6.1).
