#18 Alabama Hosts Kentucky, Latest Odds, Predictions and Picks (Tuesday, January 26, 2021)

Since the pandemic outbreak, it seems the world is upside down.  College basketball betting is no exception to this phenomenon.  Consider the plight of Alabama and Kentucky.  U of K is the ultimate March Madness betting name brand.  Kentucky’s basketball blue blood status has stood for generations.  Alabama is a football school.  Basketball is a traditional second fiddle at Tuscaloosa.  And that’s on a good day.  Now the script is flipped.  The Crimson Tide is an emerging national power in something other than football.  The Wildcats are in a stunning free fall that nobody saw coming.

Kentucky Wildcats at Alabama Crimson Tide CashBet Wagering Analysis

In view of Kentucky’s poor play, their name-brand means much less at an online sportsbook.  In the same way, gamblers see Alabama in a whole new light.  Nobody saw this coming last October.  But the radical transformation of both team’s fortunes has made eyes pop open.  Squares that have bet on Kentucky for years are sprinting for the tall grass.  Instead, an Alabama team perpetually ignored has become a hot item on the board.  Usually, it takes the gambling public a long time to catch on to new trends.  Contrarily that is not the case here.

Kentucky Blues Create Red Ink

Late results show Kentucky is no longer 2021 March Madness betting material.  The Wildcats have covered just one of their last four games.  Kentucky has gone under the total in three of their previous five.  As a result, the Wildcats are 5-9 straight up, 5-8-1 against the spread, and 4-10 under the total.  Out of 350 college basketball teams, Kentucky ranks 260^th for scoring.  Also, UK rates a shocking 328^th for 3-point field goal percentage.  These are the worst of times for John Calipari’s UK program.

Guard Brandon Boston Jr. leads Kentucky with 12.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.  And then forward Keion Brooks Jr. adds 11.4 points and 5.6 rebounds per contest.

Alabama’s Rising Tide

Increasingly gamblers are noticing the Crimson Tide as a bet on NCAA basketball value.  Alabama has covered eight of their last nine games.  Five of their last six went over the total.  To summarize, the Crimson Tide ranks 26^th for scoring and 189^th for points allowed.  As incredible as it sounds, Alabama leads the SEC standings.  Alabama is 13-3 straight up, 10-5-1 against the spread, and 6-5 over the total.

Namely, guard John Petty leads the Crimson Tide with 14.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.  Forward Herbert Jones adds 12.9 points and 5.7 rebounds per outing.

Kentucky Wildcats at Alabama Crimson Tide Against the Spread

Overall, Kentucky is 22-22-1 against the spread.  On the road, the Wildcats are 10-5-1 vs. the odds.  UK is 14-11 on the board in SEC games.

In sum, the Wildcats are 20-25 under the total.  Kentucky is 8-8 over and under on the road.  In SEC games, UK is 14-11 to the over.

Counter to that is a Crimson Tide record of 29-17-1 against the spread.  Alabama is 13-10 vs. the odds at Coleman Coliseum.  In SEC games, the Crimson Tide is 17-9 on the board.

Alabama is 28-18-1 over the total.  Specifically, at Coleman Coliseum, the Crimson Tide is 14-9 to the over.  In SEC games, Alabama is 15-10-1 over the total.

Late on, Alabama has paid in three of their last four against Kentucky.  Five of the previous seven games in this series cleared the total.  Kentucky has covered two of their last three visits to Coleman Coliseum.  And then two of those three games cleared the total.

Kentucky Wildcats at Alabama Crimson Tide CashBet Free Pick  

Account of recent performance, Alabama is a lead 2021 March Madness betting choice.  Kentucky can’t rate a recommendation in present form.  Further, Alabama wants a name brand win.

Kentucky Wildcats at Alabama Crimson Tide CashBet Best Bet: 

Alabama Crimson Tide