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SEC Men's Basketball: Texas A&M vs #15 Alabama 2024 NCAA Basketball Expert Analysis

SEC Men’s Basketball: Texas A&M vs #15 Alabama 2024 NCAA Basketball Expert Analysis

 

Important game in the SEC with a noon start Saturday as No. 15 Alabama looks to pad its conference lead, while unranked Texas A&M looks to avoid inching toward the bubble by falling to .500 in the league. The Tide are solid favorites on the NCAAB odds. 2024 NCAA Basketball Betting & Expert Analysis Texas A&M vs. #15 Alabama | MyBookie Sportsbook Week 15 NCAAB

 

How to Bet Texas A&M at Alabama NCAA Basketball Odds & TV Info

When: Saturday, noon ET
Where: Coleman Coliseum
TV: ESPN
Stream: ESPN+
Radio: Tunein.com
Opening NCAAB Lines: Alabama -8.5 (total 151.5)

 

Texas A&M vs #15 Alabama Last Meeting

This is the only scheduled meeting this season. They met twice last season and split with the Tide losing 67-61 in College Station in the regular season and then winning 82-63 in the SEC Tournament final. Brandon Miller scored 23 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for Bama, but is now an excellent rookie for the Charlotte Hornets. Charles Bediako had 12 points and 13 rebounds. Dexter Dennis led Texas A&M with 14 points, Wade Taylor IV had 13 and Tyrece Radford 12. The Aggies had won five straight in the series.

 

Why Bet on Texas A&M Aggies?

The Aggies (15-9, 6-5 SEC) are in the NCAA Tournament as things stand but they aren’t that far from the bubble and a blowout loss here would not help matters. They had a three-game winning streak snapped Tuesday in a shocking 74-73 loss at Vanderbilt – probably looking ahead to this game which featured 21 lead changes and neither team led by more than four points. Ezra Manjon hit a short jumper in the lane as time expired. The Dores turned the ball over a season-low-tying five times and finished with a 28-18 scoring advantage in the paint.

Texas A&M Last 5
@ Vanderbilt – L74-73
vs Tennessee – W85-69
@ Missouri – W79-60
vs Florida – W67-66
vs Ole Miss – L71-68

Vandy won by beating the Aggies at their own game – Vanderbilt became the third team to win the offensive rebounding battle, 12-8, and took 12 more shots than the Maroon & White, who also suffered an uncharacteristic 12 turnovers. The Aggies had a one-point advantage when guard Tyrece Radford buried a pair of free throws with :13 remaining.

A&M was led by Wade Taylor IV with 18 points, including 12 in the second half. Radford added 17 points and a team-high four assists. Henry Coleman III contributed 13 points and four rebounds, while hitting 7-of-7 free throws, and junior Jace Carter chipped in 11 points. Texas A&M had four players score in double figures for the first time since having back-to-back games against LSU (1/20) and Missouri (1/23).

The Aggies went a perfect 17-of-17 from the free throw line, surpassing the previous season-high of 84.2 percent at Auburn. Coleman went 7-of-7, Taylor 6-of-6 and Radford 4-of-4. The last time Texas A&M had a perfect game from the charity stripe with 15 or more attempts was at Kentucky on Jan. 21, 2023, where they made 16-of-16. In SEC games, the Aggies lead the league in FTs made (17.4) and FTA (25.5). After a slow start at hitting free throws, the Aggies have connected on 72% of their free throws over the past four games.

On Thursday, Taylor was named to the 2024 Naismith Trophy Men’s College Player of the Year Midseason Team. The junior guard has posted team-bests in scoring (19.8), assists (88), steals (51), 3-pointers (61) and free throws (117). He is the nation’s leading scorer among players with at least 80 assists and 50 steals.

An SEC Sixth-Man of the Year candidate, forward Andersson Garcia leads in the SEC with an average of 9.2 rebounds per game, despite being in the starting lineup for only three games. In SEC play, he’s increased his average to 10.0/G (No. 1). Among all Division I players, Garcia ranks No. 2 nationally (No. 1 in SEC) in offensive rebounds/G at 4.5. Garcia is one of four players nationally averaging at least 9.0 rebounds per game while also contributing at least 30 assists, 30 steals and 15 blocks.

Texas A&M leads the SEC in fewest turnovers for the overall season (9.6/G) and SEC play (9.2/G). The Aggies had 10 or fewer turnovers in eight straight games before 12 against Vandy.

Bet Texas A&M to Win
MyBookie College Basketball Lines


 

Why Bet on Alabama Crimson Tide?

Alabama (17-7, 9-2 SEC) bounced back from a blowout loss at Auburn last Wednesday with a 109-92 rout at LSU last Saturday so the team is well-rested with a week off. Alabama has not lost back-to-back SEC games since March 5, 2022 (vs. Texas A&M and at LSU).

Alabama Last 5
@ LSU – W109-92
@ Aurburn – L99-81
vs Mississippi St. – W99-67
@ Georgia – W85-76
vs LSU – W109-88

The Tide had a 12-point advantage, 64-52, with 14:38 to play but LSU put a run together of 19-7 and tied the game on a Hunter Dean bucket at 71-71 with 10:14 to play. Bama made a free throw to get the lead back but Jalen Cook hit a mid-range jumper to give LSU the lead at 73-72.

Alabama missed a three, but got the offensive board and an ensuing fouling and two free throws gave the Crimson Tide the lead for good at 74-73 with 9:06 to play. From there, the Tigers got only two points on two Jordan Wright free throws while Alabama was scoring 11 to get it back to double digits on a three-pointer off an LSU turnover, 85-75. The game was over.

In the second half, Alabama would make 9-of-21 three-pointers and 21-of-42 overall to put the game away. LSU would shoot 50 percent on its own in the half (14-of-28) but just 3-of-11 from deep. Alabama, which would attempt more three pointers than two pointers, finished with 38-of-81 field goals (46.9%) and 18-of-44 from deep (40.9%). The Tide was an efficient 15-of-17 from the free throw line.

Bama also won the rebound battle, 43-31, and more importantly 19-6 on the offensive end which resulted in a 28-8 advantage in second chance points. The Tide also took advantage of 12 LSU turnovers to get a 23-6 advantage in points off turnovers.

Five Tide players reached double digits led by Mark Sears, who finished with 23 points, eight rebounds and five assists, and Latrell Wrightsell Jr., who added 21 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. Nick Pringle (17), Rylan Griffin (16) and Aaron Estrada (15) also reached double figures.

Alabama took a season-high 81 shots, marking the second time in the last three contests that the Tide has had 80-or-more shots (83 vs. Mississippi State). It was the seventh 100-point game for the Crimson Tide this season, which is a school record and the second-most in the SEC in the last 30 years.

Sears is the only player in Division I that has 465 points, 95 rebounds, 90 assists and 50 three-pointers this season. He has recorded 20-points or more in 15 games this season, the most since Collin Sexton in 2017-18 (16 games). Sears ranks No. 1 in the SEC in scoring (20.4 ppg), No. 4 in field goal percentage (52.3) and No. 8 in assists (3.9 apg).

The Crimson Tide have the No. 2 scoring offense in the country (89.5 ppg) and the No. 2-ranked offense, according to KenPom. Alabama is one of three schools (Purdue and Wright State) in the country that has two players on its current roster that have scored at least 1,700 points throughout their career in Sears and Estrada.

Bet Alabama to Win
MyBookie College Basketball Lines


 

Texas A&M vs #15 Alabama Expert Prediction

Alabama 80, Texas A&M 71

 

NCAA Basketball Odds to Win Championship – Top 10

Purdue Boilermakers +630UConn Huskies +630
Houston Cougars +890Arizona Wildcats +1125
Tennessee Volunteers +1250North Carolina Tar Heels +1675
Auburn Tigers +1700Alabama Crimson Tide +1950
Marquette Golden Eagles +2100Kansas Jayhawks +200

 

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2021 Alabama vs Texas A&M
 

How to Bet Alabama at Texas A&M NCAA Basketball Odds & TV Info

No. 8 Alabama can all but clinch the SEC regular season title on Wednesday night and the Tide will be favored on the NCAAB odds to win at a struggling Texas A&M team that is near the bottom of the conference standings and hasn’t played in more than two weeks.

  • When: Wednesday, 9 PM ET
  • Where: Reed Arena, College Station
  • TV: SEC Network
  • Stream: ESPN app
  • Radio: Tunein.com
  • Opening NCAAB Lines: TBA (Alabama will be favored)

Last Meeting

This is the only scheduled meeting between the schools and they met once last season, a 74-68 Aggies road win. Quentin Jackson scored 20 points and made four straight free throws over the final 18 seconds to lift Texas A&M to the comeback win – the Tide were up nine early in the second half. Kira Lewis Jr. hit a 3-pointer with 10 seconds left to keep the Crimson Tide, alive, down 70-68. Jackson went back to the foul line for a second pair of foul shots, then Jaden Shackelford drew a foul on a 3-point attempt with 3.8 seconds left. Shackelford, who had a big night with 24 points and six 3-pointers, missed all three to end the Tide’s hopes.

Why Bet on Alabama? | 2021 NCAA Basketball Expert Analysis

The Tide (17-5) blasted Georgia on Saturday, 115-82. That was the most points Alabama had ever scored in an SEC game. The Tide’s scoring had cooled off some since a 105-point game against LSU on Jan. 19. Alabama’s previous high in an SEC game was 113 points on Jan. 17, 1976, also against the Tigers.

The only time an Alabama team scored more points in a game came on Dec. 9, 1971 (124 points vs. South Florida). The Crimson Tide put 64 points up in the second half which is the second time this season UA has put up at least 60 points in a half (also scored 60 in the first half vs. LSU on 1/19/21)

Bama shot 64.3% (36 of 56) and made 25 of 30 free throws (83.3%). Alabama came into the day with a 3-1/2-game lead in the league standings with four games now remaining in the regular season.

“It’s pretty crazy,” coach Nate Oats said. “Nobody shot more than nine times and we scored 115. It helps when you make 3s and you’ve got a lot of guys that can make 3s.”

Forward Herbert Jones led five players in double figures with a career-high 21 points and led the team with five rebounds, four assists and three blocked shots. Freshman Joshua Primo scored 19 points – all of which came in the second half – while guard Jaden Shackelford added 18. Guards Jahvon Quinerly (16) and John Petty Jr. (13) also reached double figures for the Crimson Tide.

In SEC games only, UA’s defense is the most efficient in the SEC, ranking first in field goal percentage defense (.382), three-point field goal percentage defense (.250) and defensive rebounds (29.6), tied for first in steals (9.2) and is third in scoring defense (68.8).

With his first three-point attempt, Petty broke the school record of threes made in a career (currently at 745) and now owns every three-point record in program history (threes made for a career, threes made in a single game).

Jones is one of 30 players across the nation who was named to the Naismith Trophy Midseason Team. Additionally, he was selected to the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Midseason Watch List.

Why Bet on Texas A&M? | 2021 NCAA Basketball Expert Analysis

The Aggies (8-7) have had their last three games postponed by COVID issues but this game does appear as if it will be played. A&M last played on Jan. 30 and won at Kansas State 68-61 in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge. After a lackluster first half, Kansas State shot 50% in the final 20 minutes but the difference was at the foul line where the Aggies went 18 of 20, including 11 of 11 for their final points. The Aggies made 22 of 26 free throws overall to 5 of 9 for the Wildcats.

Texas A&M had four players (Jay Jay Chandler, Savion Flagg, Andre Gordon, Emanuel Miller) score in double figures for the first time since March 4, 2020, at Auburn. Texas A&M’s offense had single digit turnovers (9) for the second consecutive game. Miller tops the team in scoring and rebounding for the season at 15.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, which rank in the top 10 in the SEC. Miller has increased his scoring by 8.6 points per game from a year ago, which ranks fifth in the SEC among sophomores

The Aggies held Kansas State to 32.1 percent shooting (9-28) in the first half, marking. the fifth time this season the Maroon & White have held their opponent to under 35 percent in a half. The Aggie bench outscored Kansas State, 32-12.

Texas A&M used the starting lineup combination of Jonathan Aku, Chandler, Gordon, Miller and Jaxson Robinson (1-0) for the first time this season. Chandler has scored in double figures in four of the last five games, and has made nine 3-pointers in the last two.

The Aggies sport the SEC’s third-best scoring defense, limiting opponents to 65.4 points per game. Gordon is the only Aggie to start in every game this season and ranks third in scoring at 9.2 points per game.

Buzz Williams is 24-21 in his career at Texas A&M and 277-176 in his 14 seasons as a head coach.

Expert College Basketball Prediction

Alabama 73, Texas A&M 64

 
 
 
 

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