The No. 16 LSU Tigers (15-2, 3-2 SEC) visit the Alabama Crimson Tide (11-6, 2-3) Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Below, we look at the LSU vs. Alabama odds and lines and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
Rankings courtesy of the Ferris Mowers Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports.
LSU is coming off a Saturday home loss to Arkansas. The Tigers have had some shooting woes of late; that and some iffy rebounding caught up with them in the 65-58 setback against the Razorbacks. Louisiana State has shot just 40.9% over its last five games.
Alabama has faltered since starting the season 8-1. UA is just 3-5 — and yielding 77.4 points per game — in eight games since. Analytics peg the Crimson Tide as being one of the top offenses in the SEC and also one of the league’s flimsiest defensive teams. Alabama ranks near the bottom of the circuit in defensive rebounding and opponents’ free-throw rate.
LSU at Alabama odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 2:30 p.m. ET.
- Money line: LSU +140 (bet $100 to win $140) | Alabama -175 (bet $175 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): LSU +3.5 (-110) | Alabama -3.5 (-110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 148.5 (O: -112 | U: -108)
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LSU at Alabama odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Alabama 77, LSU 72
Money line
In recent losses, Alabama hasn’t been that far off playing as a very good version of itself. And now the Tide is at home in a desperation spot.
LSU may not have the muscle needed inside to leverage what should be an advantage in the paint. And the Tigers may not have G Xavier Pinson feeding the ball down low. The senior is LSU’s leading assist man, and he’s questionable with a knee injury.
On defense, the Tigers yield a lot of perimeter looks: UA figures to get its fair share of triples in this one.
BACK ALABAMA (-175), perhaps as a partial-unit insurance play alongside an ATS wager.
Against the spread
The last 27 times these schools have gotten together, the favorite has gone 20-6-1 against the number.
The youthful Tigers are in a tough stretch in their schedule, and this one could get away — as likely into three-score territory as one. BACK ALABAMA -3.5 (-110).
Over/Under
Both teams play at a quick pace, and the Over is 5-1-2 across the last eight series meetings.
But LSU’s pace has slowed of late, and this one might be worth a line watch … and an Under 151.5 if that total becomes available. PASS
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