Alabama vs. Gonzaga Prediction & Odds
Number four Alabama and #15 Gonzaga both travel to Birmingham to face each other at 1:00 PM ET Saturday afternoon. Can the Crimson Tide cover the 1.5-point spread as neutral site favorites?
Alabama is 9-1 on the year with their best wins coming over North Carolina and Houston. Their only loss came against UConn on November 25th. The Crimson Tide are 5-4-1 against the spread this season. Gonzaga is 8-3 this season with their best wins coming over Michigan State and Kentucky. Their worst losses came against Texas and Baylor. The Bulldogs are 2-8-1 against the spread this year.
Game Matchup and Betting Odds
611 Alabama Crimson Tide (-1.5) vs. 612 Gonzaga Bulldogs (+1.5); O/U 159.5
1:00 PM ET, Saturday, December 17, 2022
Legacy Arena at BJCC, Birmingham, AL
Alabama vs. Gonzaga Public Betting Information
Our CBB Public Betting Information page indicates that the public favors the Bulldogs in this contest. Our public betting data illustrates that 88% of public bets are on Gonzaga +1.5. Do note that these numbers are subject to change and could be different once tipoff rolls around, so be sure to check the link so you’re receiving the most up-to-date public betting data.
Alabama Game Notes
Alabama’s best guard is 6’1” junior Mark Sears. Sears is second on the team in scoring with 14.8 points per game and third on the team in assists with 3.0 per game. Sears has been shooting the three-ball extremely well this season as he’s shooting 43.9% from deep on 5.7 attempts per game. He will be key to how well Alabama fares in this contest.
A less-heralded but important player for the Crimson tide is freshman forward Noah Clowney. Clowney is tied for the team lead with 8.4 rebounds per game and is third on the club in scoring with 9.6 points per game. The 6’10” South Carolina product is scoring efficiently from the field (50% on field goals) and affecting shots on the interior (1.5 blocks per game). Clowney’s defense against Gonzaga’s big men will be crucial on Saturday.
Gonzaga Game Notes
Gonzaga forward Drew Timme is having another stellar season. Timme is averaging 20.5 points per game on 62.1% shooting from the field. He’s also adding 7.9 rebounds per contest, which ranks second on the team. Timme has only recorded 2 double-doubles in 11 games this season, but he may get one on Saturday as he’ll likely be forced to crash the glass against Alabama’s long and skilled big men.
The Zags will also require the rebounding of junior guard Julian Strawther. The 6’7” Strawther leads the Bulldogs in rebounding with 8.3 per game and ranks second on the club in scoring with 13.2 points per game. He’s shooting a stellar 40% from three and will likely have to knock down multiple triples for Gonzaga to cover this game.
Alabama vs. Gonzaga CBB Betting Trends
Alabama is 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games following an ATS loss.
Gonzaga is 3-15-3 ATS in their last 21 games overall.
Gonzaga is 1-9-1 ATS in their last 11 neutral site games.
Gonzaga is 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 Saturday games.
Alabama vs. Gonzaga CBB Prediction:
This is technically a neutral site game, but it’s being played in Birmingham, Alabama. Birmingham is less than an hour’s drive away from Tuscaloosa, where Alabama plays its home games. The Crimson Tide should have a significant home-court advantage in this game on Saturday. On top of that, Alabama is playing like one of the best teams in the country and winning games in different ways. The Crimson Tide have beaten the #1 team in the country by scores of 103-101 against North Carolina and 71-65 against Houston. Alabama has used a unique formula of three-point shooting, defense, and rebounding. The Crimson Tide ranks 9th in the nation in made three-pointers per game, 22nd in team block percentage, and 6th in the nation in rebound rate. I think Alabama’s length and three-point shooting spring them to another big win over a top-20 ranked opponent on Saturday.
CBB BETTING PREDICTION: ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE -1.5
