NCAAB Arkansas vs Arizona: Predictions & How To Watch
It’s hard to believe, given how consistently strong Arizona has been, but the Wildcats haven’t gotten past the Sweet 16 since 2015. While Tommy Lloyd has done a remarkable job getting Arizona a high seed, he’s still wearing the label of being unable to get it done in the tournament as he preps for this Arkansas vs. Arizona matchup in the West Regional.
Arkansas, under John Calipari, hasn’t missed a beat. The Razorbacks are in their second straight Sweet 16 and fifth in six years. But they’ve failed to advance past this round on their past two visits, and they’re underdogs again going up against the Wildcats.
Arizona has dominated for much of the season, while Arkansas played in a tougher league. Both teams know how to score in bunches, both like to push the tempo and both know how to play stiff defense.
In short, whoever survives this round will have earned it. Here’s a look at this Sweet 16 NCAAB matchup.
Arkansas vs. Arizona Prediction
Best Bet: Arizona -7.5 (DraftKings, -112)
Arkansas has been a strong rebounding team all season, as Calipari emphasizes the glass wherever he coaches. But in this matchup, the Razorbacks are at a major disadvantage.
It’s hard to rebound when the opponent won’t let you get close to the rim. Arizona prides itself on both its interior defense and its perimeter defense. The Wildcats feature the best interior defense in the nation, and their 3-point defense ranks fourth overall. The way you beat the Wildcats is with midrange jumpers. Of course, that’s the biggest weakness of the Arkansas offense.
The Razorbacks prefer to look for either the easy basket down low, or the open 3-pointer. Failing those, they’ll take an offensive rebound and put it home. None of those three options exist against Arizona. The Wildcats have the ability to choke off everything Arkansas does well, but that does not go in the opposite direction.
Arizona can make those midrange jumpers that Arkansas is content to allow. The Wildcats are better shooters than the Razorbacks, and they’ll make Arkansas work for everything as it is. That should lead to Arizona eventually pulling away.
New Customers: Bet $5+ Get $300 in Bonus Bets Instantly Arkansas vs. Arizona Same Game Parlay
- Arizona -7.5
- Under 164.5
- Motejas Krivas Over 8.5 Rebounds
Taking an under in a game where both teams love to play fast is dangerous. But Arizona’s defense has been known to make good offenses struggle. Out of the Wildcats’ past eight opponents, four of them failed to get to 70. The Wildcats don’t mind grinding things out if needed; they’ll focus on taking away what Arkansas wants to do and make the Razorbacks figure it out.
At 7’2”, Motejas Krivas presents a rebounding matchup nightmare for Arkansas. Given how the Razorbacks rely on second-chance points, Krivas will likely spend plenty of time on the floor. Against Utah State, Krivas snagged 14 rebounds. He only had seven in round one against Long Island, but he only played 22 minutes with the game never in doubt.
Arkansas will keep the game close for most of the night, necessitating a big night from Krivas.
New Users – Bet $5 Get $250 If Your Bet Wins! How to Watch Arkansas vs. Arizona
Location: SAP Center, San Jose, Calif.
Date: March 26, 2026
Time: 9:45 p.m. Eastern
TV: CBS
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