#13 Gonzaga vs. #11 Alabama Game Preview

Labaron Philon leads the Tide as they host the No. 1 team in the country tonight in Birmingham - Arizona Alabama Picks

College basketball fans, get ready for one of the most anticipated matchups of the season. No. 13 Gonzaga heads to Las Vegas to take on No. 11 Alabama for the Players Era Championship, a clash that promises speed, skill, and high-level competition. Both teams have shown flashes against top 50 opponents, and this game offers a true measuring stick for early-season form. Gonzaga brings experience and poise, while Alabama rides the momentum of a brutal November gauntlet. Fast-paced, high-scoring, and full of strategic intrigue, this is a game no basketball fanatic will want to miss.

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#13 Gonzaga vs. #11 Alabama Odds

Can Gonzaga Take Down Another Top 50 Team?

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Spread

Gonzaga: -3.5 (-110)

Alabama: +3.5 (-110)

Total

Over: 173.5 (-116)

Under: 173.5 (-104)

Moneyline

Gonzaga: -165

Alabama: +140

#13 Gonzaga vs. #11 Alabama Best Bet

Arguably the best game of the week and a matchup some of us college basketball sickos have been waiting to see for a couple of weeks now. No. 13 Gonzaga takes on No. 11 Alabama in Las Vegas for the Players Era Championship. Both teams have shown early bright spots against other top 50 teams this year, and this matchup should fully deliver in Sin City.

Can We Trust the Zags?

I have had this game circled since Gonzaga took down Creighton 90-63 on November 11. Why? This is a spot where we truly get a good feel for how good this Gonzaga team really is. I have been debating taking them to win it all, but I needed to see more from them, especially away from home. I also love that they are one of the oldest and most experienced teams in the country. Experience is extremely valuable in this era of college basketball. I want to back teams with players who have competed in hostile environments throughout their college careers. For that reason, I will happily be on the Bulldogs to cover the 3.5 on Monday.

Long November

Alabama is in the middle of a gauntlet. They have beaten St. John’s on the road, lost to Purdue at home, and took down Illinois at the United Center this past week. Now they face their fourth straight top 15 team in November.

Both teams love to run. Haslametrics ranks both inside the top 15 in pace. Alabama is the second fastest team in the country, while Gonzaga is 14th. There will be a lot of possessions in this matchup, which explains the 173.5 total.

Alabama has struggled in a few areas that the Bulldogs should be able to exploit. They have been terrible at getting after second-chance points, ranking 259th in offensive rebounding. Meanwhile, Gonzaga is 29th in defensive rebounding and is also active on the offensive boards, ranking 36th in the country. The Crimson Tide also do not force many turnovers, currently 320th in turnover defense. Gonzaga, on the other hand, is 36th in offensive turnover rate.

Even without being as battle-tested as Alabama, I think Gonzaga has what it takes to come out on top against this Crimson Tide team. Alabama is very reliant on the three-point shot, and Gonzaga has been one of the best teams in the country at defending it, currently ranked eighth in three-point defense. From what I have already seen from the Bulldogs, it is hard for me not to be on them in this one.