You may initially envision a football field when picturing an Alabama vs. Georgia matchup, but each team has proven itself on the hardwood this season. The Crimson Tide will visit the Bulldogs in an SEC showdown at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Georgia enters as a narrow 1.5-point favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, and the game total is set at 178.5 points.
Alabama vs. Georgia preview
Alabama holds a 22–7 record this season and has gone 12–4 in SEC play. The Crimson Tide enters this matchup on an eight-game winning streak, its last loss coming on February 1 against Florida. They are 13–16 against the spread, going over the total in 15 of 29 games.
Nate Oats’s squad leans on an up-tempo, high-scoring style of basketball, leading the country with 92.1 points per game. The Crimson Tide also ranks 11th in offensive rating, 139th in field-goal percentage, and 70th in three-point percentage. It has been a completely different story on the other end. Out of 353 Division I programs, Alabama ranks 353rd in opponent scoring. It also sits 274th in defensive rating, 92nd in opponent field-goal percentage, and 129th in opponent three-point percentage.
Labaron Philon Jr. headlines the production for the Crimson Tide, averaging 21.4 points, 4.9 assists, and 3.2 rebounds per game, while shooting 38.6% from deep. Aden Holloway adds 16.7 points and four assists, while leading the SEC in effective field-goal percentage (60.8%). Latrell Wrightsell Jr. adds 13.3 points, while Amari Allen and Aiden Sherrell also average double figures.
Georgia has won 20 games for the third consecutive season, entering Tuesday with a 20–9 record. The Bulldogs have gone 8–8 in conference play, but they’ve lost six of their last 10 games. They have gone 14–15 against the spread, clearing the over in 15 of 29 games.
Mike White’s squad plays a style of basketball similar to Alabama’s. Georgia ranks sixth in the country in scoring with 89.7 points per game. The program also sits 18th in offensive rating, 63rd in field-goal percentage, and 223rd in three-point accuracy. Defensively, the Bulldogs rank 303rd in opponent scoring, 149th in defensive rating, 129th in opponent field-goal percentage, and 137th in opponent three-point percentage.
Jeremiah Wilkinson leads the team with 17.7 points per game, draining 2.5 triples per contest at a 35.8% clip. Blue Cain adds 13.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists, while Marcus Millender contributes 11.8 points and 3.9 assists. Kanon Catchings also averages double-digits, while 6-foot-11 big man Somto Cyril adds 9.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, and an SEC-leading 2.4 blocks.
Alabama vs. Georgia pick, best bet
Both these teams love to get up and down the floor and score at an incredibly high pace. If you like offense, this will be a matchup for you.
My lean is toward Alabama producing a road upset. In many ways, Georgia feels like a slightly worse version of the Crimson Tide, a point that should be hammered home throughout the matchup.
However, I’m backing the game total to fall below 178.5 points. Albeit a high number for college basketball standards, these are two of the top scoring squads in the country. Alabama has scored at least 90 points in 19 of 29 games this year, including eight with 100-plus. Likewise, Georgia has scored 90 or more in 13 games this season and crossed the century mark seven times. Just as noteworthy: the Crimson Tide has allowed 90-plus points in 10 games this season, and Georgia, six.
Georgia has cleared the game total in four of its last five games, while Alabama has done so in five of its last eight.
While the sticker shock may keep some away from this matchup, don’t blink at the lofty total. Instead, bank on both these teams to run up the score, just as they’ve done all season. This is a massive SEC showdown as the regular season winds down, a matchup that should come with fireworks.
Lace up the track shoes and back this game to clear the 178.5-point game total.
