A pair of top-25 SEC teams meet on Wednesday night, as No. 11 Vanderbilt (14-0) hosts No. 13 Alabama (11-3) at Memorial Gym in Nashville.
The Crimson Tide has won four straight games, including a 15-point victory over Kentucky back last Saturday.
Vanderbilt has been a juggernaut to start the season, as the Commodores’ potent offense averages 11 three-pointers made and 93.4 points per contest.
Oddsmakers have Vanderbilt as 4-point favorites at home and are expecting a high-scoring affair, with the over/under sitting at 180.5 total points.
Alabama vs. Vanderbilt: Odds, prediction
Both teams feature exceptional backcourt play, starting with Alabama’s guard tandem of Labaron Philon Jr. and Aden Holloway. Philon Jr. currently ranks 11th in the nation in scoring, producing 21.5 points per game.
Holloway is coming off back-to-back 26-point performances against Kentucky and Yale.
The public is siding heavily with Alabama +4.5 on the spread, and there is good reason for it. Nate Oaks and Alabama have had the Commodores’ number of late, winning the last four head-to-head matchups.
On DraftKings, 74 percent of spread bets are on Alabama to cover, with 57 percent of moneyline bets on the Crimson Tide.
However, this Commodores team is built for a late run in March and features capable three-point shooting throughout the rotation.
Vanderbilt ranks 4th in adjusted offensive efficiency and 15th in defensive efficiency, according to KenPom.
Point guard Tyler Tanner has taken major strides in Mark Byington’s offense and is coming off a career-high 14 assists in Vandy’s recent win over South Carolina. Tyler Nickel is one of the most underrated shooters in the country, just ask Wake Forest.
Leading scorer Duke Miles is trending toward returning from injury, and if he’s able to, the Commodores’ offense will appreciate the boost.
Conference play can be humbling, especially when the opposition knows your personnel and tendencies from experience.
Alabama likes to push the pace and launch plenty of three-pointers. In contrast, Vanderbilt defends the three-point line extremely well, limiting opponents to just 28 percent from three.
Betting on College Basketball?
One could argue Alabama has had the tougher schedule, but its only true quality win has come against No. 16 Illinois.
When facing stiffer competition, such as No. 5 Purdue, No. 8 Gonzaga, and No. 1 Arizona, Alabama has come up short.
There is a reason Vanderbilt is one of six undefeated teams remaining in college basketball: take them on the moneyline.
The Play: Vanderbilt moneyline (-185, DraftKings)
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Mike Turay is a sports journalist and editor who closely follows the NBA, NFL, college sports and UFC. He has demonstrated expertise in both NBA and NFL player prop bets for nearly three years. Mike is also highly knowledgeable about the sportsbook offer landscape, frequently trying and reviewing the latest apps and sites.
