ESPN College GameDay coming to Tuscaloosa for Alabama vs. Tennessee showdown

One of the biggest games of the SEC basketball season takes place next Saturday as Alabama hosts Tennessee. ESPN College GameDay has announced that it will be in town to preview the huge matchup.

The game could very well be a top-15 matchup. As things stand, Alabama is ranked No. 13, while Tennessee is No. 5. Both teams are battling for seeding in the NCAA Tournament, as well as an SEC title.

Alabama currently leads the SEC standings with an 11-2 record, while Tennessee is not far behind at 10-3. The rivalry game will tip off at 8 p.m. at Alabama’s Coleman Coliseum.

ESPN College GameDay has frequently visited Tuscaloosa for football games. However, this will be the pregame show’s first trip for basketball.

It should be an incredible environment, with plenty at stake. Alabama is currently No. 5 in the NET rankings, while Tennessee is No. 6.

Both teams have work to do before next week’s huge showdown. Alabama has two big road games coming up, beginning Saturday night at Kentucky. The Crimson Tide also have a road matchup with Ole Miss on Wednesday.

As for Tennessee, the Vols will host Texas A&M on Saturday and Auburn on Wednesday, before making the trip to Tuscaloosa.

Alabama vs. Kentucky odds: Win probability, final score prediction for Tide, Wildcats

Before Alabama worries about its future, including Tennessee, the Crimson Tide has another huge SEC showdown on Saturday. The Crimson Tide travels to Lexington on Saturday for a ranked SEC matchup against No. 17 Kentucky.

The Wildcats are trying to move on from a buzzer-beating loss against LSU on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Crimson Tide escaped No. 24 Florida 98-93 in overtime in their previous matchup.

Saturday’s matchup will be a first-time meeting between the two squads this season. The Crimson Tide maintains a one-game lead atop the SEC standings, and a win over Kentucky in Rupp Arena would only separate themselves further from the pack. In turn, a win for Kentucky would once again make the SEC regular season championship up for grabs as two games separate the top four spots in the standings.

Odds for Alabama vs. Kentucky

Coming into the game, Kentucky is a 2.5-point favorite over Alabama, per FanDuel Sportsbook.

The point total for the game is set at 174.5 points. Kentucky and Alabama are two of the nation’s top scoring teams in the country.

Final score predictions for Alabama vs. Kentucky

BPI Predicted winner: Alabama
BPI Predicted point differential: 3.5
BPI Win probability: 61.8 percent
BPI Matchup Quality: 92.7