The No. 7 Kentucky Wildcats (18-4, 7-2 SEC) travel to Coleman Coliseum to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide (14-8, 4-5) Saturday. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the Kentucky vs. Alabama odds and lines, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
Things are a go for this premiere SEC matchup although it wasn’t known if Kentucky would be able to make it down to Alabama due to an ice storm in Kentucky.
The Wildcats have the second-best conference record, trailing just the 9-0 Auburn Tigers. Kentucky is 7-2 in the SEC play but just 3-6 against the spread (ATS) in conference matchups. The ‘Cats have won 3 straight which included an 18-point win at Allen Fieldhouse against Kansas in the Big 12/SEC Challenge.
The Crimson Tide also had a big-time win in the Big 12/SEC Challenge as they defeated the reigning champions Baylor Bears 87-78 last Saturday. Alabama is just 8-13-1 ATS on the season but is 10-1 straight up at home. The Crimson Tide possess a conference-worst 1-8 ATS record in SEC games.
Rankings courtesy of the Ferris Mowers Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports.
Kentucky at Alabama odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 1:20 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Kentucky +105 (bet $100 to win $105) | Alabama -130 (bet $130 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Kentucky +1.5 (-110) | Alabama -1.5 (-110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 156.5 (O: -115 | U: -107)
Get some action on this matchup at Tipico Sportsbook, a trusted, global sports-betting leader and Sportsbook Wire’s official betting partner.
Place your legal, online sports bets in CO and NJ at Tipico now. IA, Tipico is coming to your state soon! New customer offer: Deposit $10 or more, get $100 in instant bet credits! 21+, see Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. Bet now!
Kentucky at Alabama odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Kentucky 80, Alabama 77
Money line
BET on KENTUCKY (+105).
The Wildcats have everything it takes to win at a high level in college basketball. They have a steady, pass-first point guard, a dominant big man, shooting and playmaking. Transfer C Oscar Tshiebwe leads the team in scoring (16.1 points per game) and rebounding (15.2 rebounds per game).
Kentucky is averaging 81.9 points per game, but its defense — ranked 61st in opponents scoring and eighth in rebounding — is what will carry it in this game. The Wildcats hold opponents to under 40.9% from the field.
Alabama ranks 11th in points per game in the nation but ranks 327nd in opponents’ points per game. It’s a one-sided team and I expect the balanced Wildcats to pull out the victory.
Alabama is also 2-7-1 ATS over its last 10 games. That’s relevant as the spread is a mere 1.5 points.
Kentucky also recently went into a difficult Allen Fieldhouse and destroyed a top-10 Kansas team. The ‘Cats have experience with just one freshman starter and they’ll be able to handle the raucous crowd.
Against the spread
PASS on the money line. I prefer the plus-money money line odds in this SEC battle.
Over/Under
PASS with a slight lean to the Over. It’s an extremely high total for a college game, but it’s hard to bet against it with two dynamic offenses in play.
Given how many easy buckets the ‘Cats offense is able to produce, it’s tough betting against them scoring 78 or more points. The same can be said of the lethal Alabama backcourt.
Bet legally online with a trusted partner: Tipico Sportsbook, Sportsbook Wire’s official sportsbook partner in CO, NJ and, soon, IA. Bet now!
If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Please gamble responsibly.
Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:
Alabama / Arkansas / Auburn / Colorado / Florida / Georgia / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Rutgers / Tennessee / Texas / USC / Wisconsin / College Football News
Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1622]