SportsLine's model revealed its college basketball picks for New Mexico State vs. Arkansas during the second round of March Madness 2022
Last season, Teddy Allen was the leading scorer for the Nebraska program winning just seven games. Meanwhile, New Mexico State was following a Western Athletic Conference championship season with a 12–8 campaign that ended without an NCAA Tournament appearance for the second consecutive year. After Allen moved to Las Cruces, he and the Aggies both benefited massively, and the state of New Mexico now has the opportunity to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since the early 1990s. To do so, they must beat Arkansas in the 2022 NCAA Tournament on Saturday. The Razorbacks ranked the regular season as the 17th team in the nation.
Buffalo, NY at KeyBank Center Tipoff from is scheduled for 8:40 pm. ET, and the Razorbacks are just 4-3 in all neutral site games this season. The Razorbacks are the 6.5-point favorites in the latest Arkansas versus New Mexico state odds listed on Caesars Sportsbook and the over-under total is set at 138 points. Before choosing any New Mexico State vs Arkansas, be sure to check out college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer models.
The SportsLine projection model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, proprietary computer models have generated an impressive profit of nearly $1,500 for $100 players over their top-rated college basketball selections against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set her sights on the state of Arkansas versus New Mexico and has revealed her iconic picks and predictions for the 2022 NCAA Tournament. You can visit Sportsline to see all of the model's college basketball selections. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for New Mexico State vs. Arkansas:
- Arkansas vs. New Mexico State Spread: Arkansas -6.5
- Arkansas v New Mexico State over-under: 138.5 points
- Arkansas vs. New Mexico State Money Line: Arkansas -300, New Mexico State +240
- NMSU: 5-0 on aggregate and against spread as an underdog in 2021-22
- ARK: Razorbacks are 1-3-1 ATS as favorites in last five games
Why Arkansas Might Cover
The SEC was one of the strongest conferences in all of college basketball this season, and Arkansas finished with a 13–5 record in league play, behind other top events Auburn, Tennessee and Kentucky. The Razorbacks are far from the most efficient program in the country, but they have found ways to win despite their flaws, and play a strong enough defense to remain competitive. Arkansas plays with the 35th-highest offensive speed of all college basketball, and averages about 72 assets per 40-minute game.
The Aggies have a tough defensive program, but Arkansas wins with its quantity on offense rather than its accuracy. Arkansas also shoots just over 30 percent as a team beyond the 3-point line, but only 34.3 percent takes shots from downtown on assets. The Razorbacks should have a narrowing edge, which is key to sophomore forward Jaylin Williams, who averages 10.6 points and 9.6 rebounds per contest. Williams finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds in Thursday's win against Vermont.
Why the state of New Mexico may cover
By the numbers, Arkansas looks to be winning the game despite itself. The Razorbacks have made less than 43 percent of their shots in three of their last four games, slashed 29.5 percent from beyond the 3-point line during that stretch, and rolled the ball as many times as they made assists. To give. This could spell disaster against a New Mexico State side that has had opponents shoot just 38 percent off the field and come up with only 5.3 steals and 1.5 blocks per game during the same stretch.
Allen finished as the top scorer in the Western Athletic Conference, but his 19.9 points per game this season is competitive with the nation's top scorer regardless of the conference. His 6.1 total win share was also the first in the league, and his offensive utilization rate is 30.1 percent. Allen is now on his third Division I schedule and has finally found a home, so his motivation for the Aggies on Saturday will be crucial.