Vanderbilt vs. Alabama: How to watch, odds, picks, final score predictions from ESPN, KenPom

Vanderbilt and No. 4 Alabama will play their second game of the season tonight to kick off the second half of the SEC’s regular season. While the first edition went to the Crimson Tide, this one could be a little closer considering where both teams are heading into tonight’s game in Tuscaloosa.

How to watch Vanderbilt vs. Alabama

Tip-Off: 8:30 p.m. EST

Location: Coleman Coliseum (Tuscaloosa, Alabama)

Channel: SEC Network

Vegas odds

Alabama is a 15.5-point favorite over Vanderbilt on Tuesday according to VegasInsider. The over-under is set at 153.5 points.

ESPN BPI prediction

Predicted winner: Alabama

Predicted point differential: 19

Win probability (for Alabama): 94%

Matchup quality: 74.2

ESPN’s College Basketball Power Index (BPI) is a tool that measures team strength and uses that to predict outcomes of future performances. ESPN’s BPI has Vanderbilt vs. Alabama ranked as the 12th highest-rated game on Thursday’s slate in terms of matchup quality.

KenPom prediction

Predicted final score: Alabama 84, Vanderbilt 68

Win probability (for Alabama): 92%

KenPom is another tool that provides advanced analysis across college basketball. Like ESPN, KenPom projects that the Tide come away with a victory over the Commodores.

More on Vanderbilt vs. Alabama

Alabama is now facing the most adversity of its season. After everything swirling around their program this month, the Tide then laid an egg this week with a close call against Mississippi State and a blowout road loss at Oklahoma in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge. Now, following the worst loss of their season, they need a week to reestablish themselves now that they’ve dropped from No. 2 to No. 4 in the AP Poll. Playing a Vandy team they beat by 12 earlier this season tonight and then LSU this weekend, a team they already beat by 40, will give them a solid chance to do so.

As for Vanderbilt, they’ve sat around the middle of the pack of the SEC all season. However, after starting 1-0 in the league, they’ve dropped five of their last seven including three of their last four. They did hang around with the Tide early, though, and then gave them a run late within the final minutes two weeks ago. It just wasn’t enough in the end to pick up the Top-5 win but, tonight, they’ll get their second shot at it.