The McNeese Cowboys take on the Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, AL. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
The Crimson Tide are favored by 20 points on the spread with a moneyline of -5000 The total is also set at 166.
Here are my McNeese vs. Alabama predictions and college basketball picks for November 11, 2024.
McNeese vs Alabama Odds, Lines, Pick
| McNeese State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+17.5 -110 | 166 -110o / -110u | +1000 |
| Alabama Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-17.5 -110 | 166 -110o / -110u | -2000 |
- McNeese vs Alabama spread: Alabama -17.5
- McNeese vs Alabama over/under: 166 points
- McNeese vs Alabama moneyline: Alabama -2000
- McNeese vs Alabama best bet: Over 166.5
McNeese vs Alabama College Basketball Betting Preview
McNeese Basketball
We're getting a glimpse at the good and bad of the portal with McNeese State. The Cowboys brought six newcomers into a group that won 31 games last year and returns four starters.
I'm perplexed about how McNeese State divided the minutes in its 80-73 loss to South Dakota State — nine players checked into the game and each played 10 or more minutes.
I don't get why Quadir Copeland and Sincere Parker played as little as they did. Parker brings instant offense, as he showed with 20 points in 28 minutes in the win over Biblical Studies on Saturday (yes, that's a real school).
Former Providence guard Alyn Breed shined in the loss to the Jackrabbits, scoring 18 points on 5-of-9 shooting with seven free throws. Breed didn't play two nights ago versus the non-D-I opponent as a precautionary measure heading into this battle in Tuscaloosa.
I think Will Wade is back to his up-tempo roots after playing a deliberate tempo in his first season in Lake Charles. The tempo went from 277th last year to 168th (that's based on one game, per KenPom's numbers). Coach Wade has the athletes to push the tempo with Copeland, Brandon Murray, Parker and Breed.
The one concern is McNeese's lack of size, which came to the surface against South Dakota State. The Jackrabbits out-rebounded the Cowboys 31 to 21, and most of SDSU's rebounding came from Oscar Cluff.
McNeese has three true interior players — starters Christian Shumate, Joe Charles and Bryant Selebangue — Charles is the tallest option at 6-foot-9, Selebangue is 6-foot-8 and Shumate is 6-foot-6.
Good luck rebounding against Alabama, which starts three players 6-foot-8 or taller.
Alabama Basketball
Before the year, many considered Alabama to be the best team in the country. That could have changed after the Crimson Tide narrowly beat Arkansas State 88-79.
Should it have, though?
I'm more encouraged about Alabama's tight win than concerned for one key reason. The Crimson Tide went 6-for-31 (19%) from 3 but nearly cracked 90 points thanks to their 60% shooting from inside the arc.
That was Alabama's second game of the year, and it went 8-for-18 (44%) from 3 in a 111-point showing against UNC Asheville.
I'm unsure what to make of how Alabama is dividing up shots based on Nate Oats' lengthy history of elite shooting teams. The one thing I know is Alabama's offense is elite whether it shoots 3s or not.
This year, Alabama is a more versatile offense, with a pair of big-bodied 6-foot-11 forwards in Cliff Omoruyi and Jarin Stevenson or Grant Nelson. Omoruyi's presence opens up Alabama's offense. He scored 12 points in the win over Arkansas State and 20 against UNC Asheville.
Mark Sears is also a national player of the year candidate and hasn't gotten going yet. It feels like Sears is a game away from a classic insane performance.
Of course, the Tide aren't going to open the entire playbook against mid-major teams in the non-conference. It's a brilliant time to test things out, different lineup combos, and see what works heading into the grueling part of the non-con and SEC play.
Alabama isn't fully healthy either, as it's missing Chris Youngblood, who's a projected starter, and Houston Mallette, who opted to redshirt.
Freshman Labaron Philon is starting right away, which is a surprise. He's taking a lot of the ball-handling duties, dishing six assists per game, which led the Tide in both games.
McNeese vs Alabama Betting Analysis
I'm targeting the total here.
The over hit in the UNC Asheville game and the under hit in the Arkansas State game for Alabama. The great thing about taking the over in Alabama games is even if the opponent can't hold its weight, Alabama might make up for it.
Alabama held the Bulldogs to 54 points, but its 110-point scoring outburst pushed the game over.
I do think we'll see more scoring from McNeese than UNC Asheville, but I can't see the Cowboys holding down Alabama, particularly on the glass.
