ESPN Analytics puts its stamp on who it believes has the supreme advantage in Tuesday night’s SEC showdown in Tuscaloosa between Alabama and Mizzou.
The Crimson Tide are the ranked team, but barely, as they slipped from 17th to No. 23 in Monday’s latest AP Poll after Saturday night’s home loss to Tennessee.
Making that loss even worse for Alabama was that it was the debut — or latest debut, if we’re getting technical — of Bama big man Charles Bediako, who was the subject of a controversial decision by the NCAA to allow the former Crimson Tide center to be a current Crimson Tide center. Bediako played 25 minutes off the bench, contributing 13 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks.
But it didn’t add up to a victory, as Alabama had its modest winning streak snapped at 2, falling to 13-6 overall and 3-3 in the SEC.
On Tuesday night, in front of that same home crowd it lost in front of against Tennessee, Bama will try to bounce back in an 8 p.m. ET tipoff against Mizzou that will air on SEC Network.
While the Tide come in off a disheartening loss, Mizzou (14-6, 4-3 SEC) storms into Tuscaloosa off a heroic 88-87 overtime win over Oklahoma last Saturday in Columbia. Mark Mitchell nailed the game-winning 3-pointer in overtime for the Tigers, who will try to keep the momentum going on the road on Tuesday night.
ESPN believes in Bama in this one, plain and simple. Despite the Tide’s tough loss to Tennessee and the Tigers’ big win over the Sooners, ESPN Analytics is giving Alabama an 80.3% chance to rebound in resounding fashion and take down Mizzou.
The Tigers aren’t getting a lot of love from the BPI folks, but the game is played on the hardwood, not by a computer, so Mizzou will be out to prove the percentages wrong while Alabama will be out to prove that Bediako’s presence can result in a victory this time.
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.
