Here are today's selections. The late action will be up later.
7 Units Arkansas LR -3 -102
Sun Belt tourney game and it's a neutral site (Bowling Green, Kentucky). Wow -- this is certainly not the Semifinal game ANYONE expected. A couple of longshots meet in this one. The question is: How much energy is New Orleans going to have left in the tank? In last night's write-up for New Orleans/North Texas we concluded with, "recent history suggests a close game." It was close all right -- New Orleans squeezed out a 91-89 double-overtime win! Now less than 24 hours later New Orleans has to prepare for this Sun Belt Semifinal game after that marathon. New Orleans is 6-10 SU and 9-7 ATS on the road. The New Orleans Privateers (16-13) lack height and have strong guard play behind shooting guard Kyle Buggs (11 ppg) and 6'-2" senior Johnell Smith (14 ppg, 38% FGs). But they carry an 0-5 ATS run into this game. Ark-Little Rock (17-11 SU, 11-7 ATS) gives up 72 ppg on the road where they are 5-6 SU, 7-5 ATS. Arkansas Little Rock has plenty of offense, with a strong frontcourt of 6’-9” senior Jamal Holden (11 ppg, 4 rpg) and 6’-6” junior Rich Hardman (10 ppg, 6.6 rpg) and 6'-2" guard Brandon Freeman (13 ppg) as their leading scorer running the backcourt. Little Rock is playing well, winning 8 of the last 11 games (a 7-1-2 ATS run)! They're playing better defense, too, going 5-1 UNDER the total the last 6 games. Little Rock lost 100-95 at New Orleans on Feb. 7. But the bottom line is Little Rock is well rested, while New Orleans played a double OT game last night.
Allstar
7 Units Arkansas LR -3 -102
Sun Belt tourney game and it's a neutral site (Bowling Green, Kentucky). Wow -- this is certainly not the Semifinal game ANYONE expected. A couple of longshots meet in this one. The question is: How much energy is New Orleans going to have left in the tank? In last night's write-up for New Orleans/North Texas we concluded with, "recent history suggests a close game." It was close all right -- New Orleans squeezed out a 91-89 double-overtime win! Now less than 24 hours later New Orleans has to prepare for this Sun Belt Semifinal game after that marathon. New Orleans is 6-10 SU and 9-7 ATS on the road. The New Orleans Privateers (16-13) lack height and have strong guard play behind shooting guard Kyle Buggs (11 ppg) and 6'-2" senior Johnell Smith (14 ppg, 38% FGs). But they carry an 0-5 ATS run into this game. Ark-Little Rock (17-11 SU, 11-7 ATS) gives up 72 ppg on the road where they are 5-6 SU, 7-5 ATS. Arkansas Little Rock has plenty of offense, with a strong frontcourt of 6’-9” senior Jamal Holden (11 ppg, 4 rpg) and 6’-6” junior Rich Hardman (10 ppg, 6.6 rpg) and 6'-2" guard Brandon Freeman (13 ppg) as their leading scorer running the backcourt. Little Rock is playing well, winning 8 of the last 11 games (a 7-1-2 ATS run)! They're playing better defense, too, going 5-1 UNDER the total the last 6 games. Little Rock lost 100-95 at New Orleans on Feb. 7. But the bottom line is Little Rock is well rested, while New Orleans played a double OT game last night.
Allstar
