College Basketball Preview: Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Houston Cougars – Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024

The sixth-ranked Houston Cougars (3-1) and ninth-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide (4-1) will square off in the Players Era Festival Impact Tournament on Tuesday, November 26 at 8:00 PM ET at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Cougars are favored with a point spread at -3.5 (-115).

Houston Cougars Betting Preview

The Cougars have won two straight since suffering their first loss of the season. Their recent success was an 80-44 blowout over the Hofstra Pride, where they had 48 points in the first half.

Joseph Turner led the team in scoring with 17 points off the bench and did not miss a shot with his six attempts. Three players in total reached double digits in scoring, which shows they have a deep lineup for playmaking abilities.

Their offense connected on 46.8 percent of their shots overall, but were able to make half of their three point attempts. Their defense held the Pride to 30.8 percent shooting and 32.0 percent from deep. They also forced the Pride to commit 15 turnovers while only having four themselves.

The Cougars are averaging 84.3 points each matchup and making 48.3 percent of their buckets. Their defense has been strong in holding teams to just 50.8 points a game. They will need to bring the same level of intensity against a strong Alabama offense.

Alabama Crimson Tide Betting Preview

The Crimson Tide were able to bounce back after their first loss. Their recent win was a 100-87 battle over the Illinois Fighting Illini that featured a strong first half performance of 52 points.

Grant Nelson led with 23 points and eight rebounds. Four players reached double figures with scoring, with one of them being Adan Holloway having 18 points off the bench.

They shot 52.0 percent from the field overall and 32.4 percent from deep, which shows they need some work in that regard. They committed seven turnovers but forced the Fighting Illini to have 13. Their defense also held the Fighting Illini to 45.1 percent shooting and 33.3 from deep.

The Crimson Tide have been great offensively in averaging 89.6 points per game. On defense, they have been solid in allowing their opponents to average 74.2 points on them each matchup.

Odds, Series Trends, and Free Pick

MyBookie has appealing college basketball betting odds for the Houston Cougars vs. Alabama Crimson Tide showdown. The Cougars are 3.5-point favorites to pull this off according to current odds. Looking at market analysis, the Cougars have a 71.9 percent likelihood of winning the game outright.

The Crimson Tide have a knack for scoring a lot of points, but their defense has not been consistent. Look for the Cougars to pull out the win and cover the spread.

Final Pick: Houston Cougars -3.5 (-115)