A week ago, the Arkansas Razorbacks were reeling in their first year under head coach John Calipari. The Razorbacks were nowhere close to the tournament but the beauty of the SEC, especially this year, is that the league is historically deep and there are giant opportunities every night. In the last week the Razorbacks have won at Kentucky and at Texas putting them firmly on the NCAA tournament bubble.
Opportunity waits for the Razorbacks again as they finally get a chance to host a top 5 team on a hot streak. Alabama comes to town and their top 3 ranking is very much in jeopardy facing a hot Arkansas team who is trying to make a late run to the NCAA tournament. Alabama has a lot riding on this game as well. They have a chance to secure a 1 seed in the NCAA tournament and losing to Arkansas would be a step in the wrong direction towards achieving that goal.
Alabama is already a lock to make the NCAA tournament and while they are no danger to miss the NCAA tournament coach Nate Oats and the Tide would love to get a 1 seed. To do that they have to win as many games as possible, and winning games against bubble teams is a must. If Arkansas were to win this game that would give them three of the best wins in the country in a 10 day period. Two road wins at tough arenas already may have been enough. A win over a top 5 team at home will look nice come Selection Sunday.
How to watch Alabama vs Arkansas
- Date: Saturday, February 8
- Time: 7:30 PM CST
- Venue: Bud Walton Arena
- How to Watch (TV): ESPN
- Streaming: fuboTV
- Alabama record: 19-3
- Arkansas record: 14-8
Alabama vs Arkansas odds, spread, and total
Odds provided by FanDuel Sportsbook
Moneyline
- Alabama - 250
- Arkansas +202
Spread
- Alabama -6.5
- Arkansas +6.5
Total
- Over 163.5
Alabama Injury Report
- Latrell Wrightsell Jr, G: Out for season (Achillies)
- Houston Mallette, G: Questionable (Knee)
Arkansas Injury Report
- Boogie Fland, G: Out for season (Hand)
Arkansas and Alabama series history
- Arkansas all-time record vs. Alabama: 36-33
Alabama vs Arkansas prediction
At this point, we all know how the Crimson Tide are going to play. They will play at one of the fastest paces in the country and will shoot threes at one of the highest rates in the country. Alabama isn’t shooting the ball with the high percentages we are used to, but they are still winning. The Crimson Tide are one of the best passing teams in the country and they have elite ball movement, when they are not taking threes, they will pass the ball to get to an open man in the paint or create an open driving lane to the basket. Those things all lead to Alabama running one of the most efficient offenses in the country.
Mark Sears (18.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists) is one of the best point guards in the country and is a National Player of the Year candidate. The point guard is a deadly shooter and is elite at getting to the free-throw line. The Crimson Tide are going to need to have their point guard ready to play and hope he is scoring against a good Razorback defense. Grant Nelson (12.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists) is the most important player for the Tide. Alabama has a ton of guard depth and can survive an off night from Sears. If Nelson gets contained Alabama will struggle. He can score from all three levels and do it well. Nelson is a matchup nightmare who makes Alabama much better when he is on the floor.
It has been quite a 2025 for Arkansas. The Razorbacks started out the SEC season at 0-6 and then lost their best player and superstar Boogie Fland for the year with a hand injury. So, when everyone says they are surprised by this hot streak from the Razorbacks they mean it. Arkansas has now placed itself firmly into the NCAA tournament conversation. The Razorbacks have a lot of momentum going but this one is going to be tough.
The Razorbacks are one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the country and they do almost all of their work inside the three-point line and in the paint. Adou Thiero (16.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists) followed Coach Calipari from Kentucky and is the most efficient scorer for the Razorbacks. Thiero will do almost all his damage in the paint and is a tough guard for anyone. Johnell Davis (10.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists) is a transfer from Florida Atlantic with a lot of talent. Davis has recently started to step up and has been carrying the Razorbacks on the offensive end. In the two road wins, he has 50% from deep and has been gaining a lot of confidence.
There are two contrasting styles in this game and that is going to be a factor. Alabama has shown they have been leaky on defense at times especially when it comes to getting shots at the rim. The Razorbacks are coached by a legend who has been in many of these games and is a fantastic in-game coach when his team has confidence. Arkansas has a ton of confidence and a belief they will win. Bud Walton is a very tough place to win at when Arkansas is playing well.