We’re used to seeing the No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide dominate in college football, but they also have a good chance to go on a run in the big dance this season. They’ll play in the East Region, giving them a handful of weak opponents, possibly the Isaiah Livers-less No. 1 Michigan Wolverines and the underwhelming No 3. Texas Longhorns. However, Alabama will have to beat the No. 15 Iona Gaels before they can start their run. Here are the college basketball betting lines and best bets for the matchup.
Iona vs. Alabama | College Basketball Betting Lines, Odds & Picks
Iona vs. Alabama Game InfoÂ
Date: Saturday, March 20, 2021
Start Time: 4 p.m. EST
Bracket: East Region
Coverage:Â TBS
The Crimson Tide sit at seventh in both the Kenpom rankings and the NCAA’s NET Rankings. Strong defensively play has driven that success, as Bama ranks second in adjusted defensive rating. They trail only the Memphis Tigers, who did not qualify for the tournament.
Meanwhile, Iona has the third-worst Kenpom ranking of any team to qualify for the big dance at 183rd. The Gaels fare much better in the NET Rankings, where they sit at 138th. Like Alabama, Iona’s defense has fared better than their offense, although not by much, ranking 161st in adjusted offensive rating and 210th in adjusted defensive rating.
FiveThirtyEight gives Iona just a 5% chance to win; that’s the second-worst such number for any 15-seed, ahead of only Cleveland State, who had a 4% chance to upset Houston. While these kinds of upsets do happen — for instance, No. 15 Oral Roberts just beat No. 2 Ohio State — Iona doesn’t have a player of the same caliber as Max Abmas.
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Iona vs. Alabama College Basketball Betting Lines + Best Bets
The Crimson Tide are heavy favorites entering this matchup. They have a sizeable advantage against the spread, and, given their large statistical advantage in the efficiency metrics, it isn’t surprising to see them with such a large advantage.
If you expect Alabama to cover, you can get them as 16.5-point favorites at most books. You’ll find the best juice at SugarHouse, BetMGM, DraftKings Sportsbook and William Hill (-110). Should you prefer to take Iona, you can find the best juice at PointsBet (-104).
Make sure to double-check OddsShopper before placing your bet to confirm that you’re still getting the best deal!
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Iona vs. Alabama College Basketball Betting Lines + Best Bets
It’s a little surprising to see the totals for this game set so high. Both of these teams play better defense than offense. However, Alabama scores 79.6 points per game and allows 69.8 points per game, good for a total of 149.4 that rests above this total.
Should you favor the over, you can find the lowest-set total at BetMGM. You can also add a half-point for better juice at PointsBet (-108). If you prefer the under, you can get the highest-set total with the best juice at SugarHouse or DraftKings Sportsbook (-107).
These lines may move, so make sure to head over to OddsShopper to see if there is a better deal available before tip-off.
Iona vs. Alabama March Madness Prediction
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