Alabama vs Arizona Basketball Prediction & Picks: Will the Wildcats Turn Away the Tide in Phoenix?

Today’s college basketball schedule features several attention-grabbing games, including Baylor-Duke, North Carolina-Oklahoma, and Villanova-Creighton. But the best action on the slate could be in the last game of the night, when Alabama and Arizona, two of the highest scoring teams in the country, face off at the Footprint Center in Phoenix (11:00 pm ET, ESPN).

Following the matchups between the Bears and Blue Devils and Tar Heels and Sooners, the unranked Crimson Tide (6-4) and fourth-ranked Wildcats (8-1) will close out an ESPN tripleheader that should be must-see TV from prime time to bedtime.

Picks in this piece are courtesy of BetOnline. At BetOnline, you can get great odds on all of the top college basketball matchups every day.

The Crimson Tide are third in the country in scoring at 92.1 points per game, but for all of the points that they have piled up, they have failed to make the most of multiple opportunities to definitively show that they are one of the best teams in the country.

The Wildcats, who rank second nationally in scoring at 92.9 PPG, are coming off of their first loss of the season, a 92-84 loss to Purdue in Indianapolis.

The loss dropped the Wildcats from the top spot in the national rankings, which now belongs to Zach Edey and the Boilermakers once again. But with Alabama on the agenda tonight and FAU ahead on Saturday, Arizona has a chance to add more heft to a resume that already boasts wins over Duke, Michigan State, and Wisconsin.

Alabama vs Arizona Odds

Odds are courtesy of BetOnline. If you’re interested in trying them out, we recommend checking out our BetOnline review.

Spread

• Alabama +7.5 (-105)
• Arizona -7.5 (-115)

Over/Under

• Over 175 (-110)
• Under 175 (-110)

Moneyline

• Alabama +275
• Arizona -350

Last Five Games for Alabama

• at Creighton (12/16): lost 85-82
• (Toronto, Canada – Hall of Fame Series) vs Purdue (12/9): lost 92-86
• vs Arkansas State (12/4): won 89-65
• vs Clemson (11/28): lost 85-77
• (Destin, FL – Emerald Coast Classic) vs Oregon (11/25): won 99-91

Last Five Games for Arizona

• (Indianapolis – Indy Classic) vs Purdue (12/16): lost 92-84
• vs Wisconsin (12/9): won 98-73
• vs Colgate (12/2): won 82-55
• (Palm Springs, CA – Acrisure Classic) vs Michigan State (11/23): won 74-68
• vs UT Arlington (11/19): won 101-56

Top Players for Alabama

• Mark Sears: 21.2 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 3.6 APG, 56.0% FG, 48.1% 3PT
• Aaron Estrada: 14.4 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 3.0 APG, 40.0% 3PT
• Grant Nelson: 13.6 PPG, 6.2 RPG
• Rylan Griffen: 8.5 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.8 APG
• Jarin Stevenson: 6.9 PPG, 3.2 RPG

Top Players for Arizona

• Caleb Love: 15.8 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.7 SPG
• Keshad Johnson: 13.9 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 1.7 APG
• Oumar Ballo: 12.6 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 68.0% FG
• Pelle Larsson: 12.0 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 3.3 APG
• Kylan Boswell: 11.7 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 4.6 APG, 47.7% 3PT

Alabama vs Arizona Prediction and Picks

Prediction: Arizona to win

I expect Alabama to be in the thick of the SEC championship race along with Kentucky, Tennessee, and potentially Auburn and Texas A&M.

But while I trust them to take care of business in conference play, the Crimson Tide have not really provided a lot of reason to trust them in this spot.

Against Purdue, they were up by as many as 12 in the first half and nine in the second half, but they couldn’t sustain their level of play, rendering 19 made threes for naught. And against Creighton, they were briefly up by six in the second half, but again, they couldn’t make the most of an advantage.

Alabama has not defended well enough when it has mattered in the games that they lost, and there really isn’t much reason to be confident that will change tonight.

At their best, the Tide are one of the best teams out there, and that level will be on display plenty this season. But as was the case against Purdue and again against Creighton, Alabama will likely see a strong effort fall short due to the inability to make enough stops or going cold offensively at the wrong time.

Picks: Alabama/Arizona Over 175 & Alabama/Arizona First Half Over 83 (Both -110 at BetOnline – Bet These Odds & Get a 100% Bonus on Your First Cryptocurrency Deposit)

You won’t see totals this high too often in college basketball, but this is where it should be for this matchup.

Alabama ranks fourth in average offensive possession length and first in adjusted offensive efficiency at KenPom, while Arizona ranks sixth in both average offensive possession length and adjusted offensive efficiency. Could we see 100 points in the first half? I wouldn’t be surprised at all.

Where to Bet on College Basketball

If you are looking for college basketball odds, you will always be spoiled for choice.

Sports betting sites all over the internet offer a vast array of NCAA basketball odds throughout the season, from the opening tip in November to the conclusion of the season in early April.

Along with being able to bet on games like Nevada vs Hawaii, many online sportsbooks offer men’s college basketball national championship odds, women’s college basketball national championship odds, men’s Wooden Award odds, women’s Wooden Award odds, and odds on who will win early season and conference tournaments.

Below are some of the books that we highly recommend for college basketball betting:

• BetDSI
• BetOnline
• BetUS
• Bookmaker
• Bovada
• MyBookie
• Sportsbetting.ag

If you don’t have an account at a book on this list, check out our reviews to help you determine if it is worth your interest and your betting funds.

Other College Basketball Content

• Baylor vs Duke Basketball Prediction, Odds & Picks
• North Carolina vs Oklahoma Basketball Prediction, Odds & Picks
• College Basketball Betting Guide
• Men’s Wooden Award Winner Odds
• Women’s Wooden Award Winner Odds