The 2022 NCAA Tournament is now rolling, and one of the most intriguing matchups in the West Region will feature the No. 4-seeded Arkansas Razorbacks against the No. 13-seeded Vermont Catamounts. Both teams played a relatively light non-conference schedule, but Arkansas finished fourth in the loaded SEC, while Vermont absolutely dominated the one-bid American East Conference. It will be a battle of contrasting styles with Vermont preferring to grind out possessions (288th in pace), while Arkansas plays with a little more tempo (29th) and looks to disrupt defensively.
The KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y. will host this first-round 2022 March Madness matchup that tips at 9:20 p.m. ET on Thursday night. The Razorbacks are the 4.5-point favorites, with the over-under at 139 in the latest Arkansas vs. Vermont odds from Caesars Sportsbook. Before making any Vermont vs. Arkansas picks, be sure to check out the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of almost $1,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Arkansas vs. Vermont and revealed its coveted picks and predictions for the NCAA Tournament 2022. You can head to SportsLine to see all of the model's college basketball picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for Vermont vs. Arkansas:
- Arkansas vs. Vermont spread: Arkansas -4.5
- Arkansas vs. Vermont over-under: 139 points
- Arkansas vs. Vermont money line: Arkansas -200, Vermont +170
- Vermont: The Catamounts are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games
- Arkansas: The Razorbacks are 11-2-1 ATS in their last 14 games
Why Arkansas can cover
The Razorbacks are coming off a disheartening loss to Texas A&M in the SEC Tournament, but this is a program that racked up quality win after quality win in SEC play despite an 0-3 start in the conference. Arkansas bested Auburn, Kentucky and Tennessee at home this season and beat an LSU squad that earned a No. 6 seed three times.
Former Jacksonville transfer JD Notae sets the pace for Arkansas at both ends. Notae finished second in the SEC in scoring (18.4 ppg) and tied for first in the league in steals per game (2.2). He had a cold shooting night in the loss to Texas A&M (2-for-8 with five points) but was averaging 20.6 points per game in the five games prior to that. Look for a better performance from Notae on Thursday and for Arkansas' overall length and defensive disruptiveness to be Vermont's biggest test of the year.
Why Vermont can cover
The Catamounts are coming off an impressive 28-5 season where they absolutely dominated the American East Conference, losing one game to Harford on the road in overtime by a single point. That's Vermont's only loss since the second week of December and it has covered the spread in six of its last eight games while sporting a 20-11 record ATS overall.
This is an experienced Vermont squad with the top five players in the rotation playing in at least their fourth season of college basketball. Ryan Davis and Ben Shungu give the Catamounts an inside-outside scoring duo capable of giving high-major programs trouble. Shungu averages 16.2 points per game while shooting 52.5 percent from the floor as a perimeter player while Davis averages 17.2 points and shoots 59.0 percent from the field as a post player with range (42.3 percent 3-point shooter).
How to make Vermont vs. Arkansas picks
SportsLine's model is leaning over on the point total, projecting the teams to combine for 146 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits well over 50 percent of the time. You can only see the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Arkansas vs. Vermont? And which side of the spread hits well over 50 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its college basketball picks, and find out.
