Vanderbilt vs Arkansas

Arkansas enters this matchup at Bud Walton Arena having lost two of its last three, while Vanderbilt has dropped two straight after a 16-0 start, so both ranked teams are trying to stop mini-slides rather than extend heaters. With Karter Knox limited by a hip injury and Vanderbilt still missing primary playmaker Frankie Collins due to a lingering knee issue, depth tilts slightly toward the Razorbacks’ deeper guard and frontcourt rotation built around Darius Acuff Jr., Billy Richmond III and Malique Ewin. Arkansas’ long-term dominance in the series (nine of the last 12 and 13 of the last 17) contrasts with Vanderbilt’s recent success in Fayetteville and its high-octane trio of Tyler Tanner, Duke Miles and Tyler Nickel, but the combination of home court, superior size on the glass and a ball-dominant star point guard nudges the edge to the hosts often enough to justify laying -138 on the moneyline, even if the recent form and Vanderbilt’s shooting variance cap this at a solid-but-not-elite B-grade recommendation. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 20/01/2026 09:58 ([cbssports.com](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/gametracker/preview/NCAAB_20260120_VANDY%40ARK/))

Vanderbilt’s offense has been electric at over 90 points per game and Arkansas is nearly matching that clip, but both teams are coming off losses where defensive breakdowns were glaring, and with each riding short losing skids, coaches are likely to emphasize half-court execution and cleaner shot selection rather than trading early-clock jumpers all night. The Commodores are a bit thinner without Frankie Collins to push pace for 40 minutes, while Arkansas’ wing rotation is reshuffled by Knox’s hip issue, which can trim transition opportunities and create more deliberate possessions featuring Acuff in pick-and-roll and Vanderbilt’s Tanner/Miles/Nickel trio probing for advantages. Given the high total of 172.5 relative to even these elite offenses, the combination of regression after recent shootouts, tightened rotations, and the grind of SEC scouting leans toward a slightly slower tempo and more late-clock trips than the market expects, making Under 172.5 at -120 a strong value play that earns a B+ grade for likelihood and price. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 20/01/2026 09:58 ([cbssports.com](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/gametracker/preview/NCAAB_20260120_VANDY%40ARK/))

Vanderbilt’s veteran scoring core of Tyler Tanner, Duke Miles and Tyler Nickel has already powered the Commodores to a 16-2 start despite the current two-game skid, and that shot-making gives them strong backdoor and closing-time equity catching a short +1.5 even in a hostile Bud Walton environment. Arkansas has the momentum of a late rally at Georgia and a deeper rotation headlined by freshman star Darius Acuff Jr., but with Knox’s hip limiting one of their primary shot-creators and Vanderbilt’s depth already stretched by Collins’ knee absence, both teams are leaning heavily on a small group of high-usage guards who can swing a one-possession game either way. Considering Arkansas’ historical series edge versus Vanderbilt’s recent success in Fayetteville and superior overall record, the most likely script is a tight contest that the Razorbacks may eke out by a bucket or less often enough to make the points with the hotter-season Commodores at +1.5 and -118 a fair but not premium-value position, worthy of a B grade. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 20/01/2026 09:58 ([cbssports.com](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/gametracker/preview/NCAAB_20260120_VANDY%40ARK/))