Arkansas-Alabama predictions

January 27, 2012 |  by Matt Jones

FAYETTEVILLE - Arkansas travels to Alabama on Saturday (SEC Network, 12:30 p.m.) on the heels of a two-game win streak.

The Razorbacks (15-5, 3-2 Southeastern Conference) defeated Auburn 56-53 Wednesday at Bud Walton Arena.

The Crimson Tide (14-7, 2-4 SEC) have lost four consecutive games, most recently a 56-54 decision at South Carolina on Wednesday.

Alabama is 7-2 at home this season, with losses to Georgetown and Vanderbilt. Arkansas is 0-5 away from Bud Walton Arena this year.

The Razorbacks lead the all-time series against the Crimson Tide 28-24. Arkansas hasn’t won a game at Coleman Coliseum since 2007.

YOU PICK: We want your prediction. Simply reply to this blog in the comments section with your predicted winner and margin of victory. The participant to closest pick the margin will receive a T-shirt from Fayettechill and will be entered for a grand prize drawing at the end of the regular season.

As a tiebreaker, tell us how many points the two teams will combine to score.

Congratulations to Stephen McKay from Nixa, Mo., for closest picking the margin in the last contest.

The Slophouse Pick (4-2)

On the road again, Arkansas is looking to turn around a season-worth of disappointments away from Bud Walton Arena.

Arkansas has been a tough out in Fayetteville this season, but in order for the upstart Razorbacks to be in the NCAA Tournament consideration at the end of the season, they will need some wins away from home.

Coleman Coliseum isn’t the most likely place for that to happen, but Alabama is reeling a bit. Granted two of the losses were to Kentucky and Vanderbilt, but a 4-game losing streak begins to work on a team psychologically and one has to wonder where the Crimson Tide will be in that regard Saturday.

Anthony Grant and Mike Anderson are near mirror images of one another when it comes to style of play, in particular demanding hard-nosed defense. Which team can handle the other’s pressure best should have an upper-hand.

Arkansas is forcing more turnovers and has a significantly better turnover margin this season, but the Razorbacks will be without senior Marvell Waithe, who is out for the second straight game with a calf injury. Don’t discount Waithe’s leadership on the floor, or his 6.3 points and 3.2 rebounds per game either.

Like most teams in the SEC, the bigger Crimson Tide are also better on the boards than Arkansas. The Razorbacks have been outrebounded by a combined 46 in their last three road games at Oklahoma, Ole Miss and Kentucky.

If Arkansas can’t come close to breaking even in rebounding on the road, it will have a tough time winning there.

Alabama by 3

You can follow Matt Jones on Twitter @NWAMatt.



49 Comments


  1. Bama by 7 Total points 131

  2. time for a road win. hogs 68, bama 66.

  3. RAZORBACKS git 1st road win, by 1, 68-67, 135 total points. GO HOGS GO

  4. Bama by 6, 60-54

  5. 79-72 Arkansas 151 total. Go Hogs!!! Let B Mitch play!!!

  6. Bama by 9, 141 total pts

  7. Bama by 9 Total points 117

  8. Alabama by 5
    Total points 125

  9. Hogs 71 Bammers 67 Total pts138

  10. Alabama 62 Arkansas 55 Total Points 117

  11. Alabama by 9

    Total points 129

  12. Arkansas wins by 3. Total pts 141

  13. AL by 11 64-53 Total points 117

  14. Bama by 8; 140

  15. hogs by 7–77-70total–147

  16. hogs by 4
    total 144

  17. Bama by 4 total 129

  18. Alabama by 5
    total points 132

  19. Arkansas by 4. 68-64, total points 132.

  20. Hope to be wrong, but young and depleted as they are, I don’t think the Razorbacks are ready for prime time, on the road – yet. The score is pointless. The time will come.

    Alabama 1
    Arkansas 0

  21. Bama by 10
    130 pts scored

  22. Hogs by 4, 140 total points

  23. I HATE THIS WE LOSE BY 15 TOTAL POINTS 160

  24. BAMA 69 HOGS 60 TOTAL 129 tide pulls away at the free throw line late

  25. 84 to 79 hogs!!!

  26. HOGS 67 BAMMA 64

  27. Bama by 9, 125 pts total. :( hoping not though!

  28. Arkansas by 1 point. Total 150

  29. Saw a stat the other day Arkansas has fewest true road wins in the country since 2009 only 4. They don’t get one here Bama by 17. 80-63

  30. Hogs 82
    Tide 71

    Hogs by 11 & 153 total

    It will prove to be mistake to press Hogs.

    E Z, I don’t think I have ever been wrong, just not right!!!

  31. I hope they break the trend but until then…Bama 67 Hogs 58

  32. Think bama’s loss the other night and big crowd expected could be factors, plus short bench and injuries for us. WANT to be wrong!!
    bama by 7, 133 pts

  33. Until we show that we can compete on the road, we will continue to see these type predictions. Like hogwild+, Love to be wrong, but predict that Bama spanks us.

    Bama by 16 83-67 total 150

  34. Hoping the Hogs hit the boards! We need a huge game from 2 of our 3 frontcourt players. man that sounds rough.

    Hogs by 5
    67-62

  35. Bama by 17
    137 Total
    More growing pains, offense boards and our bigs
    get in foul trouble. Go Hogs !

  36. Hogs 71-bama66

  37. Like i said just let Anderson bring in his First recruting class to go with the Fab Five,they should be one of the best next year,this is a learning and rebuilding year,and so far not bad.

  38. Bama by 13 – total 143

  39. Tide by 13 Total 131

  40. Alabama by 8
    (178 points total)

  41. Londonhawg,

    Statistically speaking, it is impossible for SEC team to go 0-6 on the road given that you they 15-0 at home.

    It has never happened before?

    Hakuna Matata !!! Finally we win….

  42. Bama by 12 and total pts 138

  43. Alabama by 6 (157 points)

  44. Bama by 9 and 140 points scored… Next year our road results will be very different…and I am willing to wait.

  45. 60-50 alabama
    bama by 10
    110 points scored

    sorry

  46. Ad by 3 122 tp

  47. Sorry that’s AR by 3

  48. Sorry that’s Arkansas by 3

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