On Tuesday, two of the top teams in the country will collide when Houston takes on Alabama in Las Vegas.
Already, we have witnessed both teams at their best and worst.
Houston has had success against Jackson State, Louisiana, and Hofstra; however, it fell short in its one major test against Auburn at a neutral site game.
Alabama boasts impressive victories against Illinois and McNeese but suffered its only loss at Mackey Arena against Purdue.
These two teams boast two of the strongest offenses in college basketball, ranking third (Alabama) and fourth (Houston). Both possess star power, depth, and athletes across their rosters.
Alabama plays according to Nate Oats’ principles, which fans have come to love—featuring plenty of 3-pointers and transition buckets without midrange shots. Unfortunately, their offense hasn’t run quite as smoothly this year yet.
Alabama has struggled mightily to hit shots from outside. Their 3-point percentage sits at an alarming 30%—easily the worst performance during the Oats era of Alabama’s football history.
Mark Sears’ shooting slump may be contributing to Oats’ slow start on offense, but part of it could also be personnel-related. Oats has employed an unorthodox jumbo lineup with Grant Nelson (a career 30% 3-point shooter), Jarin Stevenson (27% 3-point shooting), and Cliff Omoruyi (20%) at small forward, power forward, and center, respectively.
Houston Cougars vs Alabama Crimson Tide
Point Spread: Houston -4.5
Moneyline Alabama +158
Moneyline Houston -192
Over/Under 150.5
Oats continues his search for answers as his starting lineups change frequently. Although 4-1 so far, this Alabama team still appears unsure of its identity.
Houston would be an unwise opponent to come face to face if that is the case as their defense ranks third nationally for adjusted defensive efficiency and is one of only seven programs ranked top seven nationally for both block percentage and steal percentage. That makes handling their physicality and pressure difficult for Sears and freshman Labaron Philon – two teams which Sears may face off against against Houston later in his career.
Alabama may struggle from outside, while Houston has excelled at it – shooting 49% from deep this season for first place nationally in terms of shooting percentage.
Houston will likely follow Alabama’s example and rebound well from their disappointing showing against Purdue to secure a victory against Alabama after suffering defeat against Auburn.
Houston vs Alabama Moneyline
Both teams have moneyline value, but the best bet is Houston and give the points. To find the best line, you need accounts with multiple sportsbooks, and we got you covered as we break down the
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DraftKings
4.5/5
Tip: Bet Houston -4.5
Cougars defense is suffocating
Houston excels at shooting deep
Alabama struggles shooting from outside
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Houston vs Alabama Over/Under Analysis
I lean towards the under in this game as Houston’s defense will control the game . Bama doesn’t have the firepower to keep up against a suffocation Cougars defense.
DraftKings
4.5/5
Tip: Bet the under 150.5
Houston defense is elite
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Whoever controls the pace of the game wins
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Prediction: This will be close most of the way, but expect the Cougars defensive pressure to take a toll in the second half. Houston 76 Alabama 68
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