Updated Arkansas vs. Vermont Odds, Spread, Pick & Predictions for 2022 NCAA Tournament

Mar 13, 2022 - 11:18 PM

Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Vermont Catamounts 2022 NCAA Tournament Game Preview

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• Arkansas Razorbacks Spread: -5.5
• Vermont Catamounts Spread: +5.5
• Arkansas Razorbacks Moneyline: -278
• Vermont Catamounts Moneyline: +230
• Game Over/Under: 140.0

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Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Vermont Catamounts Match Up Overview

	Arkansas	Vermont
Conference	SEC	American East
W-L	25-8	28-5
AdjEM	20th	59th
AdjO	40th	45th
AdjD	16th	74th
Tempo	28th	288th
eFG%	218th	4th
TO%	112nd	15th
OR%	85th	302nd
FTR	23rd	282nd
DeFG%	63rd	70th
DTO%	56th	250th
DR%	74th	1st
DFTR	237th	17th
Luck	115th	209th

 
Stats via KenPom.

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Arkansas Razorbacks Preview

Arkansas lost five of six games at one point, including a loss to 131st-ranked Hofstra. Their season was on the ropes. Since a Jan. 8 loss to Texas A&M, however, Arkansas has gone 15-3, with the Razorbacks establishing themselves as one of the best defensive teams in the country.

Eric Musselman has done an incredible job leading this team in the second half of the season, and now the sky is the limit for these Razorbacks. J.D. Notae and Jaylin Williams form one of the best one-two punches in the nation, leaving teams on skates. Even when Arkansas’ 35th-ranked offense is underperforming, we’ve witnessed their top-tier defense step up – such as when they defeated Tennessee 58-48 last month.

Teams only shoot well from the midrange against Arkansas. Other than that, their defense is essentially lights out. They get the the charity stripe at a high clip and force turnovers. If the Razorbacks can avoid falling back into the early-season rut they found themselves in, Arkansas should be regarded as a championship-caliber squad.

Vermont Catamounts Preview

Among the lower-seeded mid-major auto-bids, Vermont might be the best bet to make some noise. This team has been playing its best basketball of the season, running the table in the America East tournament.

Vermont is one of the most experienced teams in the nation, starting all seniors. Their shot selection is among the best in the nation based on the Shot Quality metric. The Catamounts are consistently able to find open looks from deep or near the rim. Evan Miya ranks efficiency in lineups compared to team efficiency, and the starting five of Vermont ranks fourth-best in the nation in adjusted efficiency.

Facing a slower-paced team really benefits this Catamounts squad, as opponents have to play almost perfectly to take them down. Vermont not only has a top-75 defense but is the best team in the nation at limiting offensive boards, and they won’t give foes many freebies from the charity stripe either.

The recipe for taking down Vermont includes shooting well from beyond the arc and picking up the pace. I don’t want to make this team sound invincible, but they might be one of the toughest outs out of any mid-major.

Rapid Prediction for Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Vermont Catamounts

No. 4 Arkansas vs. No. 13 Vermont Arkansas finished fourth in an outstanding SEC conference and were the ones that snapped Auburn’s 17-game winning streak this year. If it wasn’t for Oscar Tshiebwe’s amazing year, we’d be talking more about Jaylin Williams as one of the best front players, who’s averaging nearly a double-double this season. When you add the backcourt of Stanley Umude, Au’Diese Toney, who are shooting over 45%, and JD Notae, who’s averaging 18.1 points per game, they can hit on all fronts. Vermont isn’t going to be a stroll in the park — this team is 44th in adjusted offense according to KenPom and is 85th in extra scoring chances per game. The Razorbacks had a scare in the first round last year as they led by just three against Colgate at halftime. Vermont plays a similar style of offense, and Arkansas needs to play a full-court man defense and swarm the Catamounts before they can set up their offense.

Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Vermont Catamounts Round 1 Game Pick

Arkansas -5.5

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