The Alabama Crimson Tide will open SEC play Saturday against a Top 25 opponent in the Oklahoma Sooners.
Alabama (11-2 overall) is ranked No. 5 in this week’s AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll. Oklahoma has started the year 13-0 and is ranked No. 10 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.
On paper, it’s a top 10 matchup. Only the Sooners aren’t being given much of a chance in Saturday’s game against Alabama (and yeah, stop me if you’ve read that sentence before).
According to ESPN’s updated Matchup Predictor, Alabama has an 83.5 percent chance of defeating the Sooners.
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Having the game at Coleman Coliseum certainly works in Alabama’s favor. Nate Oats’ Crimson Tide are 6-0 inside the Plaid Palace this season and have lost there only twice dating back to the end of the 2021-22 season (to Clemson and Tennessee last year).
NET rankings also tell quite a different tale than the top 25 polls. Alabama is No. 10 in this week’s rankings, fourth among SEC teams, while Oklahoma is No. 42 (13th of the 16 league members). While NET rankings have been a major target of criticism since their debut in the 2017-18 season, their weight with the selection committee and various analysts triumphs over all over metrics.
Head to head, Alabama has outscored Oklahoma, 89.9 to 83.1 in points per game and 45.1 to 34.0 in rebounds this season. Freshman Jeremiah Fears leads the Sooners in scoring. The four-star guard from Chandler, Ariz., is averaging 18 points per game. Oklahoma defeated Prairie View A&M, 89-67, in their last game on Dec. 29.
Alabama defeated South Dakota State, 105-82, last Sunday at Coleman Coliseum to close out nonconference play. Aden Holloway had a career-high 26 points and freshman Labaron Philon added a career-high 21. Seniors Mark Sears finished with 20 and Grant Nelson had 17 as the Tide won their fifth in a row.
Tipoff for Alabama vs. Oklahoma is scheduled for 5 p.m. Saturday. The game can be seen on SEC Network. John Schriffen and former Alabama forward Richard Hendrix will have the TV call of the game.
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