Arkansas vs. LSU: How to watch, odds, predictions from ESPN, KenPom

Two of the hottest teams in the SEC will kick off their conference schedule against each other Wednesday when No. 9 Arkansas hits the road to take on LSU. This highly anticipated matchup will air on ESPN2, and all of the predictions and betting odds, including KenPom analytics, can be found below.

How to watch Arkansas vs. LSU

Tip-off: 9 p.m. ET

Location: Pete Maravich Assembly Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Channel: ESPN2

Vegas odds

Arkansas is a 4.5-point favorite over LSU on Wednesday, according to VegasInsider. The over-under is set at 144.5 points.

ESPN BPI prediction

Predicted winner: Arkansas

Predicted point differential: 5.0

Win probability (for Arkansas): 67.6%

Matchup quality: 83.3

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 LSU ranked as the fourth highest-rated game on Wednesday’s slate in terms of matchup quality.

KenPom prediction

Predicted final score: Arkansas 75, LSU 69

Win probability (for Arkansas): 73%

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

More on Missouri vs LSU

This matchup features two of the SEC’s four one loss team squaring off in a game that marks the start to the 2023 conference schedule. Arkansas enters this game as one of the top 10 teams in the nation, only suffering one loss this season by three points to Creighton at the Maui Jim Maui Invitational. The Razorbacks haven’t lost since, and as a team have been one of the best on both ends of the floor in the SEC so far this season.

Arkansas ranks second in the SEC in field goal percentage and point differential, shooting 49.6% from the field and beating opponents by an average of 17.4 points per game. They’ve been also handling business on the defensive end, holding teams to just 61.9 points per game, which ranks third in the SEC.

LSU on the other hand has gotten off to a hot start in their first season under head coach Matt McMahon, who joined the team this offseason from Murray State. The Tigers have put together six straight wins, thanks to the help of the SEC’s leading scorer KJ Williams, who’s averaging 19.3 points per game. The senior forward also ranks fifth in the SEC in rebounds, and could be a major force in this matchup fresh off of a 28 point scoring outing in his previous game.