The Kentucky Wildcats are in a three-way tie for first place in the SEC, and the play of PJ Washington has been a big reason why. Washington has shown that players other than freshmen can succeed in John Calipari’s system. He is the team’s leading scorer and something of a veteran presence on a team with so many talented one-and-done stars. Washington has scored 20 or more points in four of his last five games, and that has led online sportsbook BetDSI to ponder whether he will combine for 25 or more points and rebounds against the Arkansas Razorbacks on Tuesday?
Will PJ Washington have more than 25 total points and rebounds on Tuesday?
Yes -500
No +350
If we just use recent history as an indicator, Washington should have no problem going over 25 combined points and rebounds. The sophomore got off to something of a slow start as Calipari was juggling minutes to see who his best players were, but he has since established himself as the team’s go-to guy.
Over the last month of the season, we have really seen his role change. Before a 21-point win over Mississippi State on January 22, Washington had taken 10 or more shots in just five of 17 games. However, he has taken at least 12 shots in all 10 games since that point, and that has led to his scoring numbers going through the roof.
During Kentucky’s last 10 games, Washington has scored at least 15 points in each outing, and he has scored 20 or more points in eight of the last 10. It seems obvious that Calipari told him to take a bigger role in the offense, and that has been extremely beneficial to the Wildcats thus far. He has hit better than 53 percent of his shots in seven of the last 10, and he has hit under 40 percent just once.
The rebounding numbers have been about the same though. Washington did have a streak of three straight double-doubles at one point, but since then, his rebounding has fallen back to where we’ve usually seen it.
How will he fare against Arkansas? According to Ken Pomeroy’s adjusted ratings, the Razorbacks have an above average defense, but it is by no means elite. They rank 61st in the country, and they allow a ton of rebounds. Arkansas is allowing 38.6 rebounds per game, so that will give Washington a chance to grab some extra boards. He will get the chance to shoot more than usual too since Arkansas plays up-tempo.
All these factors make the ‘Yes’ a great bet, even with the high juice. Given the style that Arkansas plays, I’m guessing that Washington will put up between 15 to 17 shots, and unless he goes cold from the floor, he should finish with at least 20 points. He will need to grab at least a few rebounds to get there, but it’s unlikely he’ll have any real trouble eclipsing this number.
