Time:<\/strong> 9:00 PM ET \/ 6:00 PM PT
Broadcast:<\/strong> ESPN
Location:<\/strong> Moody Center, Austin, TX
Spread:<\/strong> Alabama -4.5 | Total: 165.5<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alabama vs Texas Preview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Handicappers that enjoy looking for “spots” likely have this one circled because Alabama is coming off a nice road win at Arkansas and the Crimson Tide have a date with No. 1 Auburn on deck. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
All that stands in Alabama’s way between a No. 1 vs No. 2 showdown is a date in Austin with a Texas team that is 4-7 in conference play. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is plenty of meat in this sandwich spot, but it’s tough to find areas where the Tide are going to struggle in this matchup. Knowing that the SEC was going to be a grind this season, Longhorns head coach Rodney Terry scheduled a cupcake non-conference slate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Texas played one true road game during the first two months of the season (at NC State, who is 2-10 in the ACC right now). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Per KenPom, Texas played the No. 350 non-conference schedule with five opponents rated outside the top-300. That’s an easy way to ensure that you start the season 11-2. It’s also an easy way to ensure that your team is not going to be prepared for the SEC. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alabama has already won at North Carolina, at North Dakota (not a typo!), at South Carolina, at Texas A&M, at Kentucky, at Mississippi State and at Arkansas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yes, the sandwich spot is concerning, but we’re talking about a Crimson Tide team that has already won ten games away from home this season and took an unnecessary trip to North Dakota just to stay sharp for these. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Texas is a very well-rounded team, which is nice. But that also means that the Longhorns do not have a specialty where they might be able to attack Alabama. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In conference play, Texas is No. 11 in offensive efficiency and No. 10 in defensive efficiency in the SEC. The Longhorns are No. 10 in three-point shooting and No. 10 in two-point shooting, with a defense that is No. 9 in three-point shooting allowed and No. 9 in two-point shooting allowed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alabama vs Texas Predictions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Everything on the Longhorns’ profile is middle-of-the-pack, and they don’t specialize in a single area. They have three wins over top-75 teams this season: At Oklahoma, vs Missouri and vs Texas A&M. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They needed a 22-point comeback to beat A&M and had a 2.5-percent win expectancy in that game, and they needed 30 free throw attempts to get past Missouri after shooting 34-percent from the floor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We certainly understand the difficult scheduling spot that Alabama is in, but we just don’t believe Texas is the type of team that can take advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alabama vs Texas Prediction: Alabama -4.5<\/h3>\n\n\n\nGoldSheet Top Picks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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