Crimson Tide vs Tigers CBB Basketball Spread/Handicapping
This is the SEC kickoff for Alabama, a team in the second tier of the conference but expected to be closer to the top than the bottom. The Crimson Tide team played a tough non-conference schedule.
Alabama Crimson Tide (8-5) vs #12 Missouri Tigers (11-2)
Tuesday January 8
Mizzou Arena – Columbia, MO
7:00PM
Moneyline: No ML currently listed at Bovada
Spread: Missouri -10.5
O/U: 133
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Alabama
Their first few losses were to quality opponents – Dayton, VCU and Cincinnati – but more recently they lost to Mercer and Tulane casting doubt on this team’s true potential. They weren’t done any favours starting the conference season at Mizzou, perhaps the league’s best team.
The Crimson Tide will go as far as guard Trever Releford can take them. Though he’s only 6’0” on this guard oriented team he is a scorer not a distributor. He is a Missouri native and may be inspired by a visit to his home state.
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Alabama’s top 4 scorers are perimeter players and nobody on the team averages even 5 rebounds per game. Even a team like the Tigers who want to get out and run should be able to exploit them inside and on the glass.
One thing that Alabama has going for it is that is has already tasted the road this season. Trips to VCU and Cincinnati might have been losses but they played fairly well, especially at Cincy where they lost by just 2 points. Their lone road win was a Texas Tech which was hardly impressive but at least this is not the first time they are getting on a bus this year
Missouri
Missouri is playing their first SEC game ever after having looked very sharp in the early part of the season. They got spanked by Louisville and lost at UCLA but those are the only blemishes on the season so far. That game against UCLA was a thriller and a real treat to watch. The Tigers just barely beat Bucknell over the weekend but don’t be fooled that team is very good and did a great job slowing down Mizzou which was key. [ad-6571516]
It’s just hard to do. Even without the suspended guard Michael Dixon this team is very talented. Point guard Phil Pressey pushes the ball as well as any guard in the country and forward Laurence Bowers has recovered well from his injury. Newcomer Jabari Brown has started to find his stroke and UConn transfer Alex Oriakhi is averaging close to a double-double. In conference play look for experienced transfers Earnest Ross and Keion Bell to continue to be key contributors.
Beating a team by more than 10 points is not hard for this team, they have done it in nearly half of their games. Unfortunately the Tigers have not been a great bet this year, just 5-4 ATS, but they have some advantages in not being familiar to their conference opponents. It doesn’t mean they will always win but I think when they do they can really wear out some teams.
Spread Pick: Missouri -10.5
O/U Pick: Over
Score Prediction: Missouri 84 – Alabama 69
