Alabama opens as slight underdog to Texas Tech in Round of 32
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Alabama might be the higher seed in Sunday’s second-round clash against Texas Tech but, so far at least, the 4th-seeded Crimson Tide are a slight underdog against the 5th-seeded Red Raiders.
When Alabama (24-9) and Texas Tech (23-10) tip things off at a time to be determined in Tampa for the right to push through to the Sweet 16 out of the Midwest Region, the SEC and Big 12 powerhouses will go at it in one of those 4-5 matchups that usually produce tight finishes.
That’s exactly what DraftKings sees so far in the aftermath of Alabama’s first-round victory over Hofstra and Texas Tech’s first-round win over Akron. Interestingly, both the Tide and Red Raiders won by exactly 20 points on Friday afternoon, with Bama prevailing 90-70 after a rough start and Texas Tech pulling away for a 91-71 win. Heck, they almost won by the same score, which leads to the narrative of a probable close game when the 2 teams collide on Sunday.
Back to DraftKings, which has Alabama as a 1.5-point underdog as it attempts to get to the Sweet 16 without suspended star Aden Holloway.
The Crimson Tide still have plenty of firepower without Holloway, as they showed in Friday’s eventual comfortable victory, with sophomore guard Labaron Philon Jr. leading the charge with 29 points. Another young guard, freshman Jaylen Petty, led the Red Raiders on Friday with 24 points.
So, get ready for a battle between Philon and Petty on Sunday, and get ready for what likely will be a down-to-the-wire thriller to determine who gets through to the Sweet 16. DraftKings believes it will be close with its early line for Sunday’s battle in Tampa.
If sports betting isn’t legal in your state, you can still get in on the action with Kalshi. Here’s a look at the latest odds for this game:
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
