Alabama vs. Tennessee odds, score prediction: 2024 college basketball picks, March 2 best bets by proven model

Mar 20, 2019; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; General overall view of a basketball approaching the rim and net before the first round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena.

No. 4 Tennessee and No. 14 Alabama will battle for first place in the SEC standings when they square off in Tuscaloosa on Saturday night. The Vols (22-6, 12-3 SEC) have won five consecutive games since losing to Texas A&M last month, including a 92-84 win over No. 11 Auburn on Wednesday. They are tied with Alabama atop the conference standings with three games remaining, so the outcome of this game could be a deciding factor in the title race. The Crimson Tide (20-8, 12-3) bounced back from a loss at Kentucky with a comeback win at Ole Miss earlier this week.

Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. ET on Saturday at Coleman Coliseum. Alabama favored by 3 points in the latest Alabama vs. Tennessee odds, while the over/under is 170.5 points, per SportsLine consensus. Before entering any Tennessee vs. Alabama picks, you’ll want to see the NCAA Basketball predictions from the model at SportsLine.

The model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters Week 17 of the 2023-24 season on a 139-94 roll on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to last season, returning nearly $2,300 for $100 players. It is also off to a sizzling 25-14 start on top-rated spread picks this season. Anyone following has seen huge returns.

The model has set its sights on Tennessee vs. Alabama. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball betting lines for the game:

• Alabama vs. Tennessee spread: Alabama -3
• Alabama vs. Tennessee over/under: 170.5 points
• Alabama vs. Tennessee money line: Alabama -164, Tennessee +138
• Alabama vs. Tennessee picks: See picks here

Why Alabama can cover

Alabama has won four of its last five games to remain in control of its own path as far as the SEC regular-season title is concerned. The Crimson Tide have not lost at home since November, picking up wins over teams like Auburn and Florida since then. They are coming off a 103-88 win at Ole Miss on Wednesday, erasing an early 14-point deficit in that contest.

Senior guard Mark Sears, who is in contention for the SEC Player of the Year Award, scored 26 points on 8 of 14 shooting against Ole Miss. Senior guard Aaron Estrada had a triple-double with 18 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. The Crimson Tide have covered the spread in 10 of their last 14 games.

Why Tennessee can cover

Tennessee is in its best form of the season, rattling off a five-game winning streak to move into a tie for first place in the SEC. The Vols crushed Texas A&M in a rematch last Saturday before getting past Auburn in a thriller on Wednesday. Star guard Dalton Knecht poured in 39 points on 12 of 21 shooting, outscoring Auburn by himself over the final 12 minutes of the game.

Knecht is the frontrunner for the SEC Player of the Year and is in the Wooden Award conversation as well, averaging 20.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. He had 25 points and four rebounds in Tennessee’s 91-71 win over Alabama in January, as the Vols coasted to a blowout win as 5.5-point favorites. They have covered the spread in four of their last five games, and they have covered in four of the last six games between these teams. See which team to pick here.

How to make Alabama vs. Tennessee picks

The model has simulated Tennessee vs. Alabama 10,000 times and the results are in. The model is leaning Under, and it’s also generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in well over 60% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Alabama vs. Tennessee, and which side of the spread hits well over 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that is on a 139-94 roll on its top-ranked college basketball picks, and find out.