Colgate vs Arkansas Picks and Odds
- The Arkansas Razorbacks are 8.5-point favorites over the Colgate Red Raiders in their first-round game on Friday, March 19th
- Arkansas (22-6) finished second in the SEC, while Colgate (14-1) was second in the Patriot League
- The Red Raiders are 0-3 straight up in NCAA Tournament play
Oddsmakers are picking the Arkansas Razorbacks to easily brush aside the Colgate Red Raiders on Friday (March 19th, 12:45 pm ET) in the first-round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament.
History also strongly suggests that this will be the outcome.
The Razorbacks, the #3 seed, own a national title (1994) and played in the 1995 NCAA final. They’ve been to the Final Four on four other occasions.
The Red Raiders are 0-3 straight up in three previous NCAA Tournament appearances.
Arkansas heads to Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis as an 8.5-point favorite. TruTV is carrying the broadcast of the game.
Colgate vs Arkansas NCAA Tournament Odds
| Team | Moneyline at DraftKings | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colgate | +300 | +8.5 (-112) | O 161.5 (-108) |
| Arkansas | -385 | -8.5 (-109) | U 161.5 (-112) |
Odds as of March 17th.
They Can Score the Basketball
This game offers the potential to turn into a track meet. Arkansas and Colgate are two of the most high-powered offenses in the nation.
The Red Raiders are scoring 83.6 points per game this season. That ranks them #2 in the nation. Not far off that pace are the Razorbacks. Dropping 82.4 ppg, they’re good for seventh overall in the NCAA.
In the KenPom ratings, Colgate is #35 in adjusted offensive efficiency. Arkansas rates #43 in this category. The Red Raiders come in at #9 in the NET rankings, whereas the Razorbacks are #14.
I am betting the over in the Arkansas/Colgate game even if it's 200.
— Dustin McComas (@DustinLMcComas) March 14, 2021
Arkansas scored 142 points against Mississippi Valley State, 101 on South Carolina, and 100 against Arkansas State. The Razorbacks have netted 80 or more points in 15 games this season.
Colgate scored 101 points in a win over Army and 105 against Bucknell in the Patriot League Tournament quarterfinals. The Red Raiders topped 80 points 10 times and won 12 of 14 games by double-digit margins.
They’re tied for third in the nation in three-point field-goal percentage (40.0). The Red Raiders are also 19th in the NCAA in rebounds per game (39.3).
A Different World
Arkansas has posted its best winning percentage in a season since that 1994 national championship squad. The Hogs own wins over LSU, Alabama, and Florida. The Razorbacks are 6-5 this season against Quad 1 schools.
Freshman guard Moses Moody (17.1 ppg) is the leading point-getter for the team that led the SEC in scoring. Between them, Razorbacks seniors JD Notae, Justin Smith, and Jalen Tate are combining for 42% of the team’s points this season. It’s been 50% over the past five games.
If you run with these five teams you might lose.
Fastest Tempo Teams in the NCAA Tournament:
1. Gonzaga
2. Alabama
3. Winthrop
4. Arkansas
5. Colgate@ESPNStatsInfo #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/AZSIuot9uZ— Paul Biancardi (@PaulBiancardi) March 16, 2021
Colgate played 15 games against five different opponents, none of which are in the NCAA Tournament or were Quad 1 schools. Patriot League Player of the Year and Tournament MVP Jordan Burns (17.0 ppg) is the leading scorer for the Red Raiders.
Burns has taken 65 three-pointers this season and hit on 41.5% of them. Overall, his shooting numbers actually drop off to 40.8%.
Go Hog Wild
It’s one thing to whip Bucknell 105-75, as Colgate did. It’s an entirely different matter to spank Alabama, a #2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, 81-66 as Arkansas did.
The line opened Arkansas -9.5 and lengthened to -10 prior to shortening to its current number. Don’t be lured into this false sense that the Red Raiders are ready to go whole hog and put a whipping on the Razorbacks.
Beyond quality of opponents, there’s another glaring difference between these two teams that will determine the outcome of this game. Arkansas rates #14 in KenPom’s adjusted defensive efficiency. Colgate is 140th in the same category.
Arkansas/Colgate … First to 300 wins.
— Brad Evans (@NoisyHuevos) March 14, 2021
The Red Raiders will come out running; they might even put a scare into the Razorbacks. In the long run, though, class will show through.
Another factor to watch – Arkansas is getting back forward Jaylin Williams, who had been in COVID-19 protocol since Feb. 27th. He plays 15.5 minutes per game and is a presence as both a shot blocker and rebounder. It’s a certainty no one on Colgate’s roster has dealt with someone like the 6-foot-10, 245-pound Williams this season.
Pick: Arkansas -8.5 (-109)
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
