NCAAB: #4 Tennessee vs #14 Alabama Odds, and Picks (Mar 2)

• Tennessee stormed past #11 Auburn, winning 92-84 for their 5th straight victory.
• Alabama continued their hot play on offense, beating Ole Miss 103-88 on the road.
• These two teams last matched up on January 20, in a game that Tennessee won 91-71.

Selection Sunday is just a few weeks away! Let’s look at this SEC clash between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Alabama Crimson Tide. The winner of this matchup will climb up into outright 1st place in the SEC.

How to Watch

• ESPN

Preview

Tennessee continues to look like one of the best teams in the country, having now won five games in a row. They sit firmly as a 2-seed in the projected tournament field, and #6 overall in the seed standings. The Volunteers defeated Auburn in the first of a four-game stretch of top-20 matchups. They have a key chance to rise to a 1-seed by winning those games. This matchup at Alabama will be their toughest test.

Alabama bounced back from their poor defensive showing against Kentucky, defeating Ole Miss 103-88. The Crimson Tide are averaging 101 ppg over their last 5 games, and have surpassed 100 points nine different times this season. Their sensational offense ranks #1 in the country, but their defense doesn’t even rank in the top-100. That gives Alabama something notable to improve upon before the tournament.

Prediction

When these two teams last met a month and a half ago, Tennessee stormed past Alabama en route to a 20-point victory. Since then, the Crimson Tide have reached a second gear on offense, and are no longer the same team they were in the middle of the season. Additionally, Alabama will also field this rematch on their home court, after traveling to Tennessee for the first game. I like their chances of winning at home.

NCAAB Picks:

• Alabama 87, Tennessee 81 (BAMA -2.0)