Arkansas To Turn Back Clock Over Connecticut

The first two rounds of March Madness Betting was full of the good, the bad, and the ugly! Teams and numbers got updated for the Sweet Sixteen which starts on Thursday night. Now, the bad news is there are only 11 games left in the tournament. So, let's head to Sin City. At Online Sports Betting, we look at a matchup which expects to be high-octane. Arkansas vs Connecticut Bets feature the Arkansas Razorbacks. They go against Connecticut, a team with one of the better point differentials left.

WHAT: Arkansas Razorbacks versus Connecticut Huskies
WHEN: Thursday, March 23rd, 2023, 7:15 pm ET on CBS
WHERE: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
WHY: March Madness Sweet 16 - West Region

The Arkansas vs Connecticut Bets spotlight two teams looking to get one step closer to days gone by. Now, betting on futures is rough and that would be getting ahead of ourselves. After all, these two teams would face the Gonzaga and UCLA winner. Yes, that will not be easy. Anyway, here are the numbers for the Razorbacks and Huskies for Thursday night, courtesy of BetOnline Online Sportsbook.

March Madness Sweet 16 Numbers
Arkansas	-110	-110	-110
Connecticut (-3.5)	-110	-110	-110

Arkansas vs Connecticut Bets Take On A Vintage Feel

Arkansas vs Connecticut Bets take on a vintage feel for this Thursday night matchup. So, for those college basketball fans who remember. Arkansas, under Nolan Richardson, played what we refer to as "40 minutes of hell." Now, Connecticut countered with Jim Calhoun, who won three national titles in his time with the Huskies. Their first titles came in the 90's at a time where intensity ruled the basketball landscape.

Eric Musselman and Dan Hurley have both built these programs back up from some pretty low points. Arkansas rose from the depths of the SEC and Connecticut came back to the Big East from the AAC. The Razorbacks took a bit of a downturn this season, but rebounded when the tournament started. Connecticut was hotter going into March winning 11 of their previous 13 games.

Let's dive into this Thursday night game. Who do we roll the bones with in this West Region clash?

Arkansas Comes Walking In

Arkansas vs Connecticut Bets go feels like Arkansas simply comes walking in. Yes, the Razorbacks dropped a lot of close games in the SEC. Some say that prepared them for the tournament. Few gave them hope of getting past Kansas. That was even after a very good performance versus Illinois. So, the Razorbacks play a pretty good brand of defense. It remains the reason why Arkansas got to the Sweet 16. Upending the top seed in the region was far from easy.

So, Arkansas held Kansas to 36 second-half points including just 12 points over the final ten minutes. The Razorbacks overcame a 12-point deficit, survived foul trouble, and made their free throws to hold off the defending champions. For Arkansas, this was the third time they vanquished a top seed. The last two ended up in trips to the Elite Eight. Ricky Council and Davonte Davis combined for 46 points in the victory. Now, they will be vital again versus Connecticut.

Another huge reason to be bullish on Arkansas is their ability to rebound. There are few teams that can rack up 14 offensive rebounds versus the Jayhawks. Arkansas pulled that feat off over the weekend. Now, the Razorbacks might have to do something close again on Thursday night. Also, it is safe to say Connecticut will not shoot 54% from the field, but the Razorbacks might force a good number of turnovers.

Meanwhile, Arkansas has five Top 100 RSCI players and employs a playing style that can swarm opponents. The drawback to that is there are times when the team gets in foul trouble. Combine that with some cold shooting stretches and there springs some hesitation.

The Razorbacks Getting 3.5 Points?

So, what about the Razorbacks getting 3.5 points in the Arkansas vs Connecticut bets? Connecticut remains one formidable team under the guidance of Dan Hurley. The Huskies will prove not to be an easy out. Connecticut's Simple Rating System ranks fifth due to point differential, top-30 defensive rating, plus seventh-ranked offensive rating. The Huskies' inside-outside game features a trio of Adama Sanogo, Jordan Hawkins, and Tristan Newton.

The Huskies' additional depth makes them a 3.5 point favorite. A hopeful shift to 4 or even 4.5 has not occurred yet, but something to keep an eye on. Anyway, there are two ways to wager on this one. One can choose the spread at -110 or a bettor can climb up to the moneyline here. Both are solid, but that +150 number carries more intrigue. Arkansas showed against Kansas they can make their foul shots even when everything goes wrong. Their offense perked up at the right time.

There is this feeling that Arkansas flipped a switch when the tournament began. Yes, their flamboyant nature led by their coach, Eric Musselman, has rubbed off. Simply, it seems to work and straying away from the Razorback proves to be a little too difficult here.

Arkansas Razorbacks To beat the Connecticut Huskies outright

+150

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Is The Over At 140 Too Low?

Before we depart, Arkansas vs Connecticut Bets mulls the over for Thursday night. This game opened with a number thought to be too low. Now, shifts trended upward to 140. Now, that makes sense given both teams average over 70 points game in their respective conferences. Defensively, both are capable of giving up some points in bunches.

Therefore, a highly competitive game featuring two offenses that can get hot is one to get behind on Thursday night. Run with the over especially if it stays near 140 or below.

Arkansas and Connecticut To score more than 140 points

-110

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