Arkansas
Arkansas vs. Texas Tech Prediction, Odds, Key Players to Watch for NCAA Tournament Sweet 16
No. 10 seed Arkansas is the lone double digit seed into the second weekend of the 2025 NCAA Tournament after stunning No. 2 seed St. John’s.
The Razorbacks are in the Sweet 16, set to face No. 3 seed Texas Tech in the West Region semifinals on Thursday night in San Francisco, California. The Red Raiders are paced by an elite offense that has Big 12 Player of the Year J.T. Toppin patrolling the rim on both sides of the floor.
Can Arkansas pull another upset? Or will Texas Tech continue to emerge as a Final Four threat?
Here’s our betting preview.
Spread
Moneyline
Total: 147.5 (Over -115/Under -105)
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
Arkansas
DJ Wagner: The Kentucky transfer has given the Razorbacks some on-ball juice in the NCAA Tournament, providing downhill penetration as well as sound shot creation for others as he has 10 assists over the pair of postseason wins. Can Wagner shine again against a formidable Texas Tech defense?
Texas Tech
JT Toppin: The Big 12 Player of the Year has been unstoppable in the NCAA Tournament, averaging more than 18 points per game with nearly 12 rebounds and two blocks. He is an elite finisher around the rim and an imposing threat defending it and cleaning the glass.
I like Texas Tech to take care of business in the Sweet 16 against an Arkansas team that faced two incredibly limited offenses in the first two rounds.
The Razorbacks got to the second weekend in close games, two teams that were poor shooting teams, primarily from the perimeter with Kansas ranked 77th in effective field goal percentage and St. John’s ranked 262nd.
Arkansas has been able to lean on its overall talent and pedigree to outlast those teams, but that won’t be the case against a spaced out Texas Tech offense that is 29th in the country in effective field goal percentage.
Texas Tech is a loaded two-way roster with superior shot making, but also the physicality on the defensive side of the ball around Toppin and veteran forward Darrion Williams that ranks top 100 in the country in defensive rebounding rate.
The Razorbacks will need to run on the Red Raiders to get easy buckets in transition, but the team is an elite transition denial team and forces teams to operate in the halfcourt, which will shift this game towards the favorite, who is in line to cover the spread.
PICK: Texas Tech -5.5 (-118, Available at FanDuel Sportsbook)
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CORNING, Ark. (KATV) — Regulatory Enforcement Agents with the Department of Finance and Administration, along with local police, seized a significant amount of illegal THC products from Pacific Green in Corning on Tuesday.
According to the DFA, more than a dozen agents joined the City of Corning Police in the day-long operation that resulted in two arrests.
DFA agents seized more than 25 pounds of illegal products consisting of flower, vapes, and edibles.
Owner Ben Bennett and employee Sharia Shipman were arrested and both charged with the following:
- Delivery of a Schedule VI controlled substance (Class D Felony)
- Possession of a Schedule VI controlled substance with the purpose to deliver (Class B Felony)
- Controlled substances – Offenses relating to records, maintaining premises (Class C Felony)
- Possession of drug paraphernalia (Class D Felony)
- Unauthorized use of another person’s property to facilitate certain crimes (Class C Felony)
Bennett’s bond was set at $150,000, while Shipman’s bond was set at $100,000.
“In addition to selling illegal products, investigators confirmed violations involving underage access at this location,” said David Potter, Director of the Regulatory Enforcement Division. “This retailer, which was located within 1,000 feet of a school, presented significant public health and safety concerns. We are proud to partner with the Corning Police Department in addressing these violations. We seized a substantial quantity of illegal products, including flower, vapes, edibles, and other items, during the operation. We appreciate the cooperation of local law enforcement and information received from the community that led to yesterday’s operation and stopped this blatant disregard of the law.”
Note: All suspects accused of a crime are presumed innocent unless proven guilty by a court of law.
The Department of Finance and Administration said Arkansans can use Apple Wallet to present their license or ID in person, online and in apps at select organizations, including at more than 250 Transportation Security
IDEMIA Public Security North America and the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration’s Division of Driver Services and Motor Vehicles have launched Arkansas driver’s licenses and state IDs in Apple Wallet, allowing residents to securely store and use their credentials on an iPhone or Apple Watch.
The new feature gives Arkansans the ability to present their identification at participating businesses and venues, at Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints in more than 250 airports, and online or within apps when age or identity verification is required.
The launch builds on Arkansas’ ongoing efforts to expand digital identification options. In March 2025, the state introduced the Arkansas Mobile ID app, and officials say adding IDs to Apple Wallet offers residents another secure and convenient way to access their credentials.
“We’re proud to build on our partnership with the Arkansas DFA’s Division of Driver Services and Motor Vehicles, expanding on the launch of the Arkansas Mobile ID app in March 2025. The launch of ID in Apple Wallet in the state provides Arkansas residents a new, secure way to store and present their digital credentials, with transparency and control over how their information is shared at the forefront,” said Rob Gardner, CEO, IDEMIA Civil Identity.
To add an Arkansas driver’s license or state ID to Apple Wallet, users can tap the plus sign at the top of the Wallet app on their iPhone, select “Driver’s License or State ID,” and follow the verification process.
Officials say privacy and security were central considerations in the rollout. Information stored in Apple Wallet is encrypted on a user’s device, and users control when and how their information is shared. When presenting an ID, only the information necessary to verify age or identity is provided.
Apple and the Arkansas Division of Driver Services and Motor Vehicles also do not receive information about when or where residents use their digital IDs.
The technology is also designed to make verification easier for businesses. Participating businesses can use IDEMIA’s Mobile ID Verify app to accept and verify mobile IDs directly from an iPhone without requiring customers to hand over their devices or use additional hardware.
The launch marks another step toward broader adoption of digital credentials in Arkansas, giving residents a secure alternative to carrying a physical driver’s license or state ID while maintaining control over their personal information.
For information on the launch of IDs in Apple Wallet in Arkansas, click here.
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