SIGN UP: Get the best player prop and game betting projections at BetAlytics. Use code "JUICE" for a special promo rate.
Sometimes you want to make a quick pit stop, empty the bladder, grab a bag of salty snacks and limber up the limbs before hitting the open road again. For the fast-minded who enjoy simple $2 scratchers hoping to uncover the jackpot-winning image, here are quick thoughts and the lean on Vanderbilt vs. Alabama.
Vanderbilt (15-3, 3-2) at No. 4 Alabama (15-3, 4-1)
Date: Tuesday, January 21
Time: 7 p.m. ET
TV: SEC Network
The pick — Alabama -11.5 (-108, DraftKings)
The first phrase that immediately comes to mind whenever Alabama sports are mentioned is “ROLL TIDE!” However, among the crimson-clad student body, another popular chant — the once-banned “Rammer Jammer” — is shouted often at football and basketball games.
For Nate Oats’ hoops crew, the traditional cheer, considered unsportsmanlike by some due to its “We’re going to beat the hell out of you” line, summarizes his team’s playing style to a tee.
On offense, Mark Sears and cohorts attack the opposition like a relentless pack of hungry hyenas. Whether bombarding 3-pointers (48.7% of ‘Bama’s shots come from distance), crashing the offensive glass (37.3 OR%) or applying on-ball pressure on the defensive end, the Tide simply exhaust the competition buzzer to buzzer as they keep their foot firmly pressed on the accelerator.
Most eye-catching is the fact that Oats has repeatedly challenged his team, as evidenced by the daunting slate it’s played. Entering Tuesday, Alabama ranks No. 2 nationally in overall strength of schedule, posting a 7-1 record at Coleman Coliseum and a 5-3 mark against Quadrant 1 opponents. In other words, the Tide are battle-tested, experienced and fearless whether facing foes in friendly or unaccommodating environments.
Backed by 15,000-plus partisan patrons, Alabama welcomes NCAA Tournament-trending Vanderbilt to Tuscaloosa on Tuesday.
Quietly, first-year head coach Mark Byington has worked his magic in Nashville. The Commodores have raced out to a 15-3 start, are No. 37 in the NET and are coming off a 76-75 comeback victory against conference powerhouse Tennessee. With a 70.9% chance of earning a Big Dance at-large berth, according to BartTorvik, Vandy — picked in the preseason by several publications to finish in the SEC’s bottom five — has left doubters slack-jawed.
At first glance, bettors may feel oddsmakers have disrespected Devin McGlockton and company. However, advanced metrics forecast nothing but doom and gloom for the visitors.
Alabama is No. 13 overall this month, according to Torvik. By comparison, Vanderbilt is a mediocre No. 51. What’s most alarming over that stretch? The ‘Dores are 333rd in 3-point percentage defense, giving up a staggering 40.0% along the arc. They’re also netting just 29.5% on their own perimeter attempts in January.
With so many of ‘Bama’s hoists coming from distance, Sears, Grant Nelson, Labaron Philon, Aden Holloway and Chris Youngblood should bury Vanderbilt in treys. Throw in the Commodores' willingness to run (No. 53 in adjusted tempo) and suspect efforts on the defensive glass (No. 186 in DR% since Jan. 1), and the belief in a blowout increases.
Rammer Jammer! The Tide rolls.
Season record: 16-11, +4.87 units