Arkansas vs. San Diego State: How to watch, odds, predictions from ESPN, KenPom

Arkansas basketball looks to bounce back from its first loss of the season with a third-place game against Top 25 opponent San Diego State on Wednesday night. The final game of the Maui Invitational for both teams will offer a chance to leave with a winning record against fierce competition in one of college basketball’s most competitive multi-team events. Ahead of the game, which will be broadcast live on ESPN2, predictions and betting odds – including KenPom analytics – are rolling in.

How to watch Arkansas vs. San Diego State

Tip-off: 10:00 p.m. ET

Location: Lahaina Civic Center in Maui, Hawaii

Channel: ESPN2

Vegas odds

Arkansas is a 1.5-point favorite over San Diego State on Wednesday, according to VegasInsider. The over-under is set at 142.5 points.

ESPN BPI prediction

Predicted winner: Arkansas

Predicted point differential: 2.4

Win probability (for Arkansas): 58.3%

Matchup quality: 93.4

ESPN’s College Basketball Power Index (BPI) is a tool that measures team strength and uses that to predict outcomes of future performances. ESPN’s BPI has Arkansas vs San Diego State ranked as the third highest-rated game on Wednesday’s slate in terms of matchup quality.

KenPom prediction

Predicted final score: Arkansas 72, San Diego State 71

Win probability (for Arkansas): 54%

KenPom is another tool that provides advanced analysis across college basketball. Like ESPN, KenPom projects that Arkansas comes away with a victory over San Diego State.

More on Arkansas vs San Diego State

As Arkansas continues working through its non-conference schedule, the preseason Top 25 group has found more chemistry with a roster full of newcomers, from freshmen to transfers. Five-star guard Nick Smith has yet to make his season debut but promises to add more punch as a projected Top 5 NBA Draft pick after the season. His return, paired with the emergence of fellow freshman Anthony Black and Wichita State transfer Ricky Council IV make the backcourt one of the most dangerous in the country.

The Razorbacks sit at 4-1 following Tuesday’s 90-87 loss against No. 10 Creighton, who advanced to the Maui Invitational championship game against No. 14 Arizona. Now with another shot at a Top 25 opponent Eric Musselman’s group must bounce back before facing a much easier schedule early in December.