Auburn Vs. Alabama NCAA Basketball Best Bets
When it comes to the in-state rivalry between Auburn and Alabama, the history is long and checkered, but it has mostly taken place on the gridiron. For the first time, these SEC foes are facing off on the hardwood while sporting top-10 rankings in the latest AP Top 25 poll. In fact, they’re No. 1 and No. 2, making this the sixth time in NCAA history that the top two teams have hailed from the same state when they matched up.
We’re taking a look at the matchup from a betting perspective, with some looks at the lines, player props and game props, and other factors to consider, along with how to watch No. 2 Auburn (22-2) take on No. 1 Alabama (21-3) in this NCAA basketball matchup on Saturday.
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Betting Lines and How to Watch
The action tips off Saturday at 4 p.m. ET from Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, the home of the Crimson Tide. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN and can be streamed online.
Alabama is a slight favorite of 1 to 1.5 points at most online betting sites, with Auburn getting almost exactly even odds to pull off the road win. The total is currently at 171.5 points, which is high for a college basketball game, but these teams come in red hot on offense, with Alabama posting 80-plus points in five straight and Auburn averaging 84.8 points per game on the season.
Auburn vs. Alabama Odds and Betting Lines
Best Bets for Auburn vs. Alabama
Alabama -1.5 Alabama Crimson Tide -120 on FanDuel
- The home team has held an edge in these rivalry bouts with four of the last five meetings going to the host, but taking the Tide is about more than where the game is located. Alabama is playing cohesive team basketball, and Auburn’s offense has been a bit more top-heavy with individual creators looking to exert their physical dominance over opposing defenders. Good ball movement has allowed ’Bama to shoot 60.8% inside the arc, the second-best mark in the nation, and if Auburn adjusts defensively to collapse on the interior, the Tide has been lethal from 3-point range lately. Defensively, Alabama is holding opponents to 25.6% 3-point shooting at home, which is the fifth-best mark in NCAA basketball. With two elite creators in Mark Sears and Labaron Philon, the Tide may prove too tough to guard down the stretch.
Over 171.5 -105 on FanDuel
- As mentioned, these teams can score in droves and they come in red hot, with Alabama shooting 44.6% from 3-point range over its last three contests, including 58.6% (16-29) while posting 102 points against Texas last time out. Auburn plays at an extreme pace and has allowed an average of 21.3 free throw attempts per game, which could be a problem against Sears and the Tide. Auburn’s 3-point defense has allowed opponents to shoot 35.6% from deep on the road compared to 25.7% from beyond the arc at home. The Tigers have gone over the total line in four of their last five games and ’Bama is 6-1 to the over when facing ranked opponents this season.
