Bama, The Basketball School

The University of Alabama is certainly no stranger to seeing a #1 next to their name in an AP Poll. But we're not talking about football rankings this time, folks; the Crimson Tide now find themselves as college basketball's top-ranked team 🥇

With a 22-3 record featuring seven Quad-1 victories, Alabama's ascension up the rankings from its preseason spot at #20 has been well-earned, and it's becoming increasingly evident that head coach Nate Oats has his most talented team yet 📈

• That's not light praise either, considering each of the last two Bama teams spent time ranked as a Top-6 team. The Oats era in Tuscaloosa has gotten off to an incredible start, and this year's squad has the juice to make the deepest tourney run in school history

• A lot of that hype comes from freshman stud Brandon Miller, who I warned you about back in November when I named him the NCAA's top NBA prospect. His draft stock has only gone up since then, thanks to 18.8 PPG (tops among all freshmen), 8.2 RPG and historically-good numbers from deep. But he ain't just a shooter 😏

Miller has the Crimson Tide playing like a serious title contender (+850) and a clear-cut favorite to win the SEC (-2500), where they haven't dropped a game in conference play. But that could change tonight with a tough test awaiting in Knoxville — check out the lines for a Top-10 meeting between Alabama and Tennessee 👇

#1 Alabama vs. #10 Tennessee Betting Preview

• Spread: Tennessee -2.5

• Moneyline: Tennessee -152 (bet $152, win $100), Alabama +126 (bet $100, win $126)

• O/U: 144.5

Tennessee has lost three out of their last four, a skid that dropped them from #2 in the nation down to their current spot. But the tough stretch hasn't stopped oddsmakers from making them favorites over the country's top team tonight 👀

• The line is a testament to the Volunteers' upside, which we've witnessed first-hand this season with wins over Kansas and Texas, two of the best teams in the nation

• Oh, and it's also worth mentioning that their last two losses were by one point each, thanks to a pair of three-point buzzer-beaters. Talk about a brutal week 😩

I'm not so sure Tennessee fans can handle another thriller, but based on tonight's nearly non-existent spread, I don't think anyone would be surprised if this one came down to the wire as well 😎

Quick Hits

I know my eyes will be glued to Bama-Tennessee tonight, but yet another loaded evening of college hoops action definitely isn't lacking options. Here's a couple more Top-25 matchups worth checking out ⬇️

📍 #16 Xavier vs. #11 Marquette Betting Preview

• Spread: Marquette -5.5

• Moneyline: Marquette -245, Xavier +198

• O/U: 159.5

The Golden Eagles and Musketeers are currently neck and neck atop the Big East standings, adding even more pressure to a matchup that didn't disappoint the first time we saw it

• Back in mid-January, a game that was tied with under a minute to play ended with an Xavier 4-point victory, giving them their 11th straight win

• The Musketeers have been a more human 4-3 since then, while Marquette has surged up the rankings with a 6-1 record over the same stretch 📈

That momentum has oddsmakers backing the Golden Eagles tonight on their home floor, and while 5.5 points is a pretty big spread to cover against a great opponent, it's worth noting Marquette has been one of the most reliable teams to bet on all year 👇

📍 #22 TCU vs. #19 Iowa State Betting Preview

• Spread: Iowa State -3.5

• Moneyline: Iowa State -184, TCU +152

• O/U: 134.5

We've got another rematch in the third and final Top-25 showdown of the night, and just like the other, round one between these two squads was one heck of a battle 😤

• A Gabe Kalscheur three with five seconds left gave the Cyclones a two-point win on the Horned Frog's court, a huge road victory that could go a long way in a very crowded Big 12 title race 😳

TCU, currently in the midst of a three-game losing streak, will have the tough task of getting revenge on the road tonight. But picking up their fifth ranked win of the year could be just what they need to kick off a late-season run 🤔

For My Parlay Gurus

It doesn't get much more heart-breaking than the past couple of games for Tennessee, and sorry Vols fans, but I don't think the misery ends tonight. I'm going with Alabama to pick up a big win on the road, and I also got TCU's losing streak continuing at the hands of Iowa Sate. Check out this parlay 👇

• Alabama ML @ Tennessee: +126

• Iowa State -3.5 vs. TCU: -120

$100 on this bet would win you $314 — if we hit, make sure you email [email protected] for a chance to win up to $100*. Many will enter, only some will win 😉

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