The Arkansas Razorbacks stormed their way into their second consecutive Elite Eight appearance Thursday night, slaying top overall seed Gonzaga, 74-68.
Eric Musselman’s team knocked off the Bulldogs, thanks to its swarming defense, which forced 15 Gonzaga turnovers and held its opponents to 37.5% shooting from the floor (and 23.8% from 3-point land). Arkansas won despite being as much as a nine-point underdog in the game.
The Razorbacks now find themselves matched up against No. 2-seeded Duke in the West Region final Saturday night, in a game that tips off approximately from San Francisco’s Chase Center at 7:49 p.m. Central time.
Here’s a breakdown of where the Razorbacks stand in the Arkansas sports betting national championship odds chase after Thursday’s Sweet 16 upset win.
Razorbacks a Title Longshot in 2022
Oddsmakers at FanDuel Sportsbook and several other sites still do not have the Razorbacks among their NCAA title favorites despite the win over Gonzaga.
At FanDuel, Arkansas is listed at +1200 to win the 2022 title, ranking 7th out of 12 teams. Caesars Sportsbook has Arkansas at +1300.
The oddsmakers at DraftKings Sportsbook give Musselman’s bunch the best title odds, listing the Razorbacks at +1100 to win the program’s first title in 28 years.
Betly Sportsbook, which is currently the only live mobile sports betting site in the state, has Arkansas at +1150 to win the national title.
What the Razorbacks Can Expect from Duke
The Razorbacks find themselves squaring off against the Blue Devils in Saturday’s Elite Eight after the No. 2 seed knocked off Texas Tech, 78-73, on Thursday.
The Blue Devils are celebrating the swan song of longtime coach Mike Krzyzewski’s career, with the five-time national championship winning coach bowing out after 42 seasons in Durham at season’s end.
FanDuel Sportsbook has the Razorbacks as early underdogs, listing them at +4 (-114), with a +136 moneyline, and an over/under total points of 146.5 (-110).
With a win over the Blue Devils, Arkansas would advance to the program’s first Final Four in 27 years, when it made its second consecutive national championship game.
To get there, the Razorbacks will need to find a way to slow down Duke freshman forward Paolo Banchero, who scored a game-high 22 points against the Red Raiders. Duke’s other four starters joined Banchero in double figures.
Arkansas also will have to avoid committing sloppy fouls that send Duke to the free throw line. The Blue Devils buried the Red Raiders at the stripe Thursday, hitting 15 of 17 attempts (88.2%).
