NCAA Tournament Expert Pick & Prediction: East Region – Alabama vs. Robert Morris – Friday, March 21, 2025

College basketball betting opportunities are aplenty with the tournament, and you should check out the 15th-seed Robert Morris Colonials (26-8) take on the second-seed Alabama Crimson Tide (25-8) in the East Region on Friday, March 21 at 12:40 PM ET at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. MyBookie has the Crimson Tide heavily favored with a point spread at -22.5 (-115).

Robert Morris Colonials Betting Preview

The Colonials have found success over their last 10 games. They are returning to action after an 89-78 performance over the Youngstown State Penguins in the Horizon League Championship, their first for the program since moving in 2020.

The pace of the game was in favor of the Colonials the entire time. The Penguins showed moments where they could have taken over, but never once had a lead in this game. Josh Omojafo led with 24 points and 13 rebounds.

Robert Morris is putting together 76.9 points each game, which ranks 98th in the country. Their defense has allowed 70.4 points each game. This shows a solid difference between the two averages, but their conference is much weaker.

The Colonials are 152nd overall as a team when looking at their strength of schedule and point differential. Their efficiency on offense per 100 possessions ranks 119th while their defense at the same rate ranks 83rd.

Alabama Crimson Tide Betting Preview

The Crimson Tide have an embarrassing loss on their resume and need to make it right in this upcoming matchup. They are coming off a 104-82 blowout against the Florida Gators in the Semifinal of the SEC Tournament.

This was a two-point game at the half, but the Tide’s Achilles heel has been defense this year. Yes, they can score the ball but lack a defensive presence that will end their season quickly if they do not get it together. Chris Youngblood led with 14 points on 55.5 percent shooting.

Alabama has the best offense in the nation with 91.1 points per game. Their defense allows 81.4 points in return each game, ranking 356th. This is one of the worst spreads out there (besides a losing team), when you consider they have the best offense in points per game.

The Crimson Tide ranks fifth overall for their strength of schedule and winning margins. Their efficiency on offense per 100 possessions ranks 11th while their defense at the same rate ranks 216th.

Odds, Series Trends, and Free Pick

MyBookie has the best Robert Morris Colonials vs. Alabama Crimson Tide betting odds, favoring the Crimson Tide by 22.5 points. Looking at market insights, the Crimson Tide have a 96.7 percent chance of winning. Alabama should be motivated to run the score up here due to their recent loss being so bad.

Final Pick: Alabama Crimson Tide -22.5 (-115)