It’s time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a Saint Mary’s-Alabama prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Saint Mary’s-Alabama.
There are lots of really compelling games on Sunday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. This is one. Saint Mary’s has one of the slowest-paced teams in major college basketball, and Alabama is one of the fastest-paced teams in the sport. This is the ultimate contrast of styles. It’s a matchup of two completely different ways of approaching basketball. Randy Bennett of SMC and Nate Oats of Bama look at the game in very different ways, but one thing which unites the two men is that they both have a detailed understanding of the value of possessions. Bennett wants to take away as many possessions from the opponent as he possibly can, limiting his opponent’s opportunities to score. Oats wants as many possessions as possible for his offense. He wants to maximize his own team’s ability to score. Saint Mary’s wants to hold opponents to 50 points or fewer. Oats wants Bama to score 95 points or more. How will these two teams react and respond when placed against each other? This is a matchup not just for the casual college basketball fan in March, but for the true junkies who love talking about pace, possessions, and style of play.
Here are the Saint Mary’s-Alabama College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel
2025 March Madness Tournament Odds: Saint Mary’s-Alabama Odds
Saint Mary’s: +5.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +188
Alabama: -5.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -230
Over: 148.5 (-115)
Under: 148.5 (-105)
How to Watch Saint Mary’s vs Alabama
Time: 6:10 p.m. ET/3:10 p.m. PT
TV: TNT
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why Saint Mary’s Will Cover The Spread/Win
Saint Mary’s will limit Alabama’s looks at the basket. Alabama wants to run and get out in transition and play a game in the 90s or high 80s. Saint Mary’s simply will not allow that to happen in this game. Saint Mary’s was down 12 points to Vanderbilt in the first round of March Madness on Friday and was able to fight back and win outright. This is a tough team, coached by an X-and-O master in Randy Bennett who will outcoach Nate Oats. Saint Mary’s can win this game with its defense, toughness and rebounding. The Gaels can impose their slow style of play on a team which wants to play racehorse basketball.
What do we always say about postseason basketball? It is easier to slow a game down than speed it up. It is a natural fit for playoff basketball to make every possession more meaningful and therefore not rush as much as one might in an early-season game. That natural tendency for a game to become tighter and more cautious in the postseason will lend itself to a close contest in which SMC will cover.
Why Alabama Will Cover The Spread/Win
Alabama has far better athletes than Saint Mary’s. SMC was down 12 to a Vanderbilt team which finished in the lower half of the SEC standings. Alabama was one of the best SEC teams all year and is a No. 2 seed. The level of athletic ability and open-court skill from Bama is so much greater than what SMC has seen this season. That will enable Bama to separate itself from the Gaels over the course of 40 minutes.
Final Saint Mary’s-Alabama Prediction & Pick
Alabama is a lot better than Saint Mary’s. Don’t overthink this. Take the Tide.
Final Saint Mary’s-Alabama Prediction & Pick: Alabama -5.5
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