The #4 Alabama Crimson Tide (21-11) will take on the #13 Charleston Cougars (27-7) in the NCAA Tournament. This is a matchup of two of the top offenses in the nation. Fans of the SEC will know that the Crimson Tide can put up points in bunches, but the Cougars can get buckets as well.
How many points will we see in this matchup of elite offenses?
Alabama Crimson Tide Vs. Charleston Cougars Betting Odds
| Team | Spread | Total | Money Line |
| Charleston Cougars | +9.5
-108 |
O 173.5
-110 |
+370 |
| Alabama Crimson Tide | -9.5
-112 |
U 173.5
-110 |
-485 |
| **Odds Courtesy of DraftKings** | |||
Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Charleston Cougars Fixtures
- Fixture: Alabama Crimson Tide vs Charleston Cougars
- Date and Time: March 22, 2024 @ 6:35 pm EST
- Location: Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena in Spokane, WA
Apex Tale of the Tape
| Alabama Crimson Tide | Vs. | Charleston Cougars |
| 21-11 | Record | 27-7 |
| 90.8 | Points Per Game | 80.5 |
| 47.7 | FG% | 44.3 |
| 36.6 | 3PT% | 34.5 |
| 36.2 | Rebounds Per Game | 36.1 |
| 81.1 | Points Allowed Per Game | 72.5 |
| 44.0 | Defensive FG% | 44.0 |
| 31.9 | Defensive 3PT% | 33.6 |
| 78.4 | FT% | 72.0 |
| 31.6 | Defensive Rebounds Against | 31.3 |
| 2-3 | Last 5 W-L | 5-0 |
| 76.5 | Team Pace | 71.7 |
Key Stats
Alabama Crimson Tide
Alabama is the top-scoring team in college basketball. They are led by guard Mark Sears, who is the top scorer, scoring 21.1 points per game. There are some interesting trends with the Crimson Tide over the last ten games. First, they have hit the over in nine of the last ten games. If we expand it out, the Alabama Crimson Tide has hit the over in 24 of the last 33 games.
However, they are only 3-7 against the spread in the last ten. Vegas seems to favor them a lot because of their high-octane offense, but their defense is atrocious. While over the course of the season, they have covered the spread well, recently, they have not.
Charleston Cougars
Everyone will be talking about the Alabama offense, but don’t sleep on the Charleston Cougars. Their 80 points per game are 32nd in the country. Similar to the Crimson Tide, their defense leaves much to be desired. They score this many points because of how much they shoot threes. The Cougars are in the top ten in threes made per game (10.5) and threes attempted per game (30.6).
In 19 of the last 28 games, the Cougars have hit the over. It is also worth noting that Charleston is on a 12-game winning streak, making it one of the hottest teams in the nation. If you are a believer in momentum, this is the team for you.
Injury Report
Alabama Crimson Tide
- None
Charleston Cougars
- None
Game Prediction
I’m calling the upset on this one. The Alabama Crimson Tide beat teams by outscoring them, and they drew a team that can keep pace offensively in the Charleston Cougars. With the frequency the Cougars shoot threes, they will stick in this game. Anytime a team cannot play defense, it makes me wary of them in a tournament game. All it takes is one team to get hot, and the team can crumble.
I am also a believer in momentum. Alabama has been on a slide lately. In the last 10, they are 5-5, and the five losses have come against all ranked teams. Florida and Texas A&M are the only tournament teams they have beaten in the last ten games. I’m taking the value of the money line and taking the over.
Final Pick
Charleston +370 and Over 173.5
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Ryan Callahan is a writer from Long Island, New York. A graduate of Boston University, his college basketball rooting interests are not exactly thrilling, but hey, we can’t all go to Kansas.
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