The top-seeded Alabama Crimson Tide will start their championship campaign off Thursday afternoon against Texas A&M-CC in front of a pseudo home court in Birmingham, Ala. This is the first time in program history that Alabama is a No. 1 seed in the tournament and its best chance of winning the school’s first-ever national championship.
The Crimson Tide have also never reached the Final Four of the tournament with their best result being an Elite Eight appearance in 2004.
The Islanders from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi won their first-ever NCAA Tournament game, knocking off Southeast Missouri State in the First Four matchup, 75-71. This is the Islanders’ first Round of 64 matchup since 2007 when they lost to the No. 2-seeded Wisconsin Badgers by 13.
Read on for my Alabama vs Texas A&M-CC prediction and best bets.
Alabama vs Texas A&M-CC Odds
Note: CBB odds mentioned in this article for Alabama vs Texas A&M-CC were used fromDraftKings Sportsbook, unless otherwise noted, and are current as of Wednesday, March 15, at 9 a.m.ET.
- Moneyline: Alabama (-12500) | Texas A&M CC (+2500)
- Spread: Alabama -23.5 (-110) | Texas A&M CC +23.5 (-110)
- Total: Over 155.5 (-110) | Under 155.5 (-110)
Alabama vs Texas A&M-CC Best Bet
Keep reading for more Alabama vs Texas A&M-CC betting tips.
Alabama vs Texas A&M-CC Prediction
Alabama 85, Texas A&M-CC 58
This is going to be a very tough matchup for the Islanders as Alabama sports one of the best defenses in the country. The Crimson Tide are third in KenPom’s adjusted defensive efficiency ratings and are top 20 in the adjusted offensive efficiency ranks.
We can’t say this is impossible as we saw UMBC knock off Virginia in 2018 in the same matchup.
We’ve seen these first-round matchups between the No. 16 seed and No. 1-seeded teams in the past stay close in the first half before the better team pulls away in the second half. The Islanders are led by three seniors, who all average more than 10 points per game.
The star to watch in this contest will be Alabama guard Brandon Miller, who is arguably the best player in college basketball right now. He is projected to be a top-three pick in this year’s NBA draft.
📈 Keep track of NCAA Tournament winner odds to find our best March Madness bets:
Alabama vs Texas A&M-CC Best Bets
Under 155.5 Total Points (-110) | DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
This match will most likely be a blowout but I don’t expect it to be super high scoring. The first half could be back and forth, and then Alabama’s defense will shut down the Islanders.
With a big lead in the second half, Alabama will slow down the pace of play. For the Over to eclipse the 155-mark, we would need Alabama to score 90-plus in this contest.
It’s also important to consider that the Crimson Tide will bench their key starters in the second half if they have an insurmountable lead.
Alabama vs Texas A&M-CC Same Game Parlay
Alabama vs Texas A&M-CC SGP (+140) | DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
- Alabama Alternate Spread -19.5 (-175)
- Alternate Total Points Under 159.5 (-190)
The Crimson Tide should take care of business on Thursday and winning by at least 20 points is definitely in the cards. I like the Under and grabbing a couple more points up to 160 gives us a little more cushion for it to cash in for us.
