Before we dive into the Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Duke Blue Devils game let’s review the rules for the Draftkings single game showdown contest.

Draftkings Single Game Showdown Contest Rules

You have $50,000 to utilize on five players from either team. However, one of those players will be designated as your team captain. The captain accumulates 1.5 times the standard fantasy points. Additionally, the captain is 1.5 times the standard cost of the flex position.

The remaining four players in your lineup will receive the standard fantasy points. Having stated that, it is highly important for you to identify the correct player for your captain position if you hope to win a large field DFS GPP (guaranteed prize pool) showdown contest.

If you have additional questions regarding the rules for the single game showdown contest, I recommend that you check out the Draftkings website for more details.

*I recommend that all readers review the starting lineups for both teams prior to setting your DFS lineup for this one game slate.

Here are my Draftkings picks for this evening’s Alabama vs. Duke matchup.

Draftkings NCAA Basketball Showdown Picks

Captain-Cooper Flagg, Guard, Duke Blue Devils $12,400

Talented guard Cooper Flagg has quickly established himself as one of the best college basketball players in the country. With that said, how has the freshman Blue Devils guard performed from a statistical perspective? Let’s review Flagg’s relevant game data from the 2024 NCAA season (including postseason games) to answer that question.

In the 35 games that guard Cooper Flagg has played for the Duke Blue Devils this season, Flagg is averaging a rather impressive 19 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks a game.

Looking at the data just presented more closely, in the 35 games that Cooper Flagg has played for the Duke Blue Devils this season, Flagg has compiled 48.7% field goal percentage, a 37.2% three-point percentage and an 83.2% free throw percentage.

More recently, in the Duke Blue Devils impressive 100-93 win over the Arizona Wildcats two days ago, Duke guard Cooper Flagg played rather well. More specifically, Flagg accumulated a massive 30 points, six rebounds, seven assists, three blocks and one steal in the Duke Blue Devils victory over the Wildcats.

Examining the data just presented more closely, in Duke’s win over the Arizona Wildcats, Cooper Flagg tallied 57 Draftkings points.

In my opinion, Cooper Flagg is the most likely player to post the most Draftkings points in this evening’s elite eight tournament game. Having stated that, I am backing Duke Blue Devils guard Cooper Flagg at the captain position for this one game Draftkings NCAA Showdown contest.

Flex Plays

Mark Sears, Guard, Alabama Crimson Tide $10,800

Senior guard Mark Sears has certainly been a standout performer for the Alabama Crimson Tide this season. To better understand the importance of the senior guard’s contributions to the Alabama basketball team’s achievements this season let’s review Sears game data from the 2024 NCAA season (including postseason games).

In the 36 games that guard Mark Sears has played for the Alabama Crimson Tide this season, Sears is averaging 19 points, 3.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 0.9 steals a game.

Additional flex plays I like to perform well in this NCAA tournament game (Draftkings price noted): Tyrese Proctor, Guard (Duke Blue Devils) $7,600: Khaman Maluach, Forward (Duke Blue Devils) $8,000: Grant Nelson, Forward (Alabama Crimson Tide) $6,200.

Read the rest of "Draftkings NCAA Basketball Picks: Alabama vs. Duke 3/29/25" at Sports Chat Place

Alabama Crimson Tide Betting Preview

The Alabama Crimson Tide (28-8, 21-15 ATS) didn’t play well late in the regular season but still earned the No. 3 seed for the SEC Tournament. The Crimson Tide destroyed Kentucky in the quarterfinals but had no chance against Florida, the eventual winner, in the semifinals. Alabama defeated Robert Morris and St. Mary’s in the opening two rounds in the NCAA Tournament and then dismantled BYU 113-88 in the Sweet 16. Alabama broke a 35-year-old March Madness record by scoring 25 threes.

Alabama is averaging 91.4 PPG (1st) and is allowing 81.2 PPG (356th). The Crimson Tide are getting 42.7 RPG (2nd) and dishing out 17.3 APG (15th). Mark Sears is the team’s top performer with 19.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, and 5.1 APG. Aden Holloway has 11.6 PPG and  2.0 APG, while Grant Nelson contributes 11.5 PPG, a team-high 7.6 RPG, and a team-high 1.2 BPG.

Duke Blue Devils Betting Preview

The Duke Blue Devils (34-3, 24-13 ATS) are still one of the hottest teams in basketball and are currently on a 14-game winning streak. The Blue Devils won the ACC title without much trouble and without Cooper Flagg; only North Carolina was close in the conference semifinals when Duke won 74-71. At the NCAA tournament, Duke destroyed Mount St. Mary’s and Baylor in the first two rounds and then reached a 100-point mark in a 100-93 victory over Arizona.

Duke averages 83.6 PPG (13th) and allows 62.5 PPG (7th). The Blue Devils are 50th in rebounds (38.3) and 22nd in assists (17.0). Cooper Flagg leads the team with 19.0 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.4 SPG, and 1.3 BPG. Kon Knueppel follows him with 14.2 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 2.7 APG, and 1.0 SPG, while Tyrese Proctor chips in 12.4 PPG, 3.0 RPG, and 2.3 APG.

Why Alabama will beat Duke

• Alabama has won 11 of its last 12 games against non-conference opponents.

Why Duke will beat Alabama

• Duke has won each of its last 10 night games.
• Alabama has lost five of its last six games against Top 5 AP-ranked opponents.
• Alabama has lost the first half in each of its last five games against Top 10 AP-ranked opponents at a neutral venue.

Total Points Facts

• Forty-seven of Duke’s last 49 games at a neutral venue have produced a total of 167 or fewer points.
• Six of Alabama’s last seven games against Top 10 AP-ranked opponents have produced a total of 179+ points.

Matchup/League Facts

• Duke ranks 1st among Division 1 teams for defensive rating this season (92.9).
• Duke ranks 1st among Division 1 teams for net rating this season (+33.5).
• Alabama ranks 364th among Division 1 teams for opponent field goal attempts per game this season (68.4).
• Alabama ranks 1st among Division 1 teams for pace this season (75.4).

Duke vs Alabama Prediction

These teams have met only once before, and it was back in 2013 when Duke won 74-64. Duke is a better team and will likely progress to the Final Four, but I think Alabama can cause the Blue Devils problems with its high-octane offense. The best offense in basketball meets a top-10 defense, so it’s going to be interesting. I don’t expect Alabama to hit 25 three-pointers again, but undoubtedly, the Tide will rely on the perimeter shooting to stay close to Duke. Cooper Flag vs Mark Sears – enjoy the spectacle. Duke has hit the Team Total Over in 21 of its last 39 games. Alabama has hit the Game Total Over in 22 of its last 39 games, while the Crimson Tide have hit the Team Total Over in 24 of their previous 39 games. Go with Over.

Read the rest of "Duke vs Alabama Prediction 3/29/25 College Basketball Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

BYU Cougars Betting Preview

The Cougars have really only had one instance of a spotty run this year. Otherwise it’s been a great run. BYU kicked off their year on a 10-2 stretch, then lost to Houston, Texas Tech, TCU and Utah over the next five outings. After wins over Colorado, Cincinnati, Baylor and UCF, the Cougars felt o Arizona and Cincinnati. BYU would finish off the regular season with wins over West Virginia, Kansas State, Kansas, Arizona, Arizona State, West Virginia, Iowa State and Utah, then beat Iowa State in the Big 12 Tournament. The Cougars would fall to Houston in the next round, then took out VCU in the First Round of the national tourney. After a Second Round  win over Wisconsin, BYU now stands at 26-9 overall this year.

In the Wisconsin matchup over the weekend, the Cougars kicked off the first half with a 47-36 halftime edge. BYU had to hang on after a 53-44 deficit from there however, resulting in a 91-89 win in the end. Leading the team during the victory was Richie Saunders with 25 points and seven rebounds. Trevin Knell added 14 points with two assists, while Egor Demin had 11 points with eight boards and eight assists. Keba Keita chipped in 10 points as well.

Alabama Crimson Tide Betting Preview

Over on the Alabama side, they similarly had one rough run going back in February and March, but outside of that they’ve been a strong team in the 2024-25 season so far. The Tide managed a 14-3 start this year with losses to only Purdue, Oregon and Ole Miss. After a nice seven-game win streak in January/February, the Tide fell to Auburn, Missouri, Tennessee and Florida over the next six games (beating Kentucky and Mississippi State otherwise). After two more wins over Auburn and Kentucky, then a loss to Florida in the conference tournament, Alabama took out Robert Morris in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Tide would improve to 27-8 overall with a Second Round win over Saint Mary’s on Sunday.

Matched up against Saint Mary’s, the Tide didn’t have too many issues. Alabama was up 42-29 by the break, then hit a 38-37 second half for the win 80-66 in the end. The Tide’s leading scorer was Chris Youngblood with 13 points, while Clifford Omoruyi doubled up on 10 points with 11 rebounds. Mark Sears (three assists), Grant Nelson (eight rebounds) and Aden Holloway (bench) each chipped in 12 points as well.

Alabama vs BYU Prediction

I’m going to stick with BYU. This should be a pretty great matchup—and a very intriguing game—regardless. The Cougars had a hot start and a slower second half against a great Wisconsin team in their last outing, but ended up with 49.2 percent shooting, 46.2 percent (12-of-26) from 3-point range and a stellar 15-of-16 (93.8 percent) from the line alongside a 41-32 rebounding edge. The only real blemish for BYU was the 11 turnovers for 12 Badgers points. The Cougars have scored a combined 171 points in their two tournament games, but they’ve also given up 160 on the other side.

As for Alabama, they were able to stay on top of a scrappy Saint Mary’s team pretty well, shooting 51.8 percent from the field with a 41-36 rebounding advantage. The Tide also had 11 turnovers, but they didn’t make a ton of difference in the final score. Alabama has 170 combined points in their first two games of the tournament, so this one should be a high-scoring, competitive game if both teams show up.

Read the rest of "Alabama vs BYU Prediction 3/27/25 College Basketball Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

Before we dive into the Alabama Crimson Tide vs. BYU Cougars game let’s review the rules for Draftkings single game showdown contest.

Draftkings Single Game Showdown Contest Rules

You have $50,000 to utilize on five players from either team. However, one of those players will be designated as your team captain. The captain accumulates 1.5 times the standard fantasy points. Additionally, the captain is 1.5 times the standard cost of the flex position.

The remaining four players in your lineup will receive the standard fantasy points. Having stated that, it is highly important for you to identify the correct player for your captain position if you hope to win a large field DFS GPP (guaranteed prize pool) showdown contest.

If you have additional questions regarding the rules for the single game showdown contest, I recommend that you check out the Draftkings website for more details.

*I recommend that all readers review the starting lineups for both teams prior to setting your DFS lineup for this one game slate.

Here are my Draftkings picks for tomorrow evening’s BYU vs Alabama matchup.

Draftkings NCAA College Basketball Showdown Picks

Captain-Mark Sears, Guard, Alabama Crimson Tide $11,200

Talented guard Mark Sears has certainly been a standout performer for the Alabama Crimson Tide this season. To better understand the importance of the senior guard’s contributions to the Alabama basketball team’s achievements this season let’s review Sears game data from the 2024 NCAA season (including postseason).

In the 35 games that guard Mark Sears has played for the Alabama Crimson Tide this season, Sears is averaging 18.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 0.8 steals a game.

Looking closer at the data just presented, in the 35 games that Mark Sears has played for the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2024 NCAA season (including postseason games), Sears has compiled a 40.1% field goal percentage, a 32.9% three-point percentage and a free throw percentage of 84.9%.

More recently, in the Alabama Crimson Tide’s 90-81 victory over the Robert Morris Colonials five days ago, Alabama guard Mark Sears played exceptionally well. Let me be more specific. Sears accumulated 22 points, five rebounds and ten assists in the Crimson Tide’s win over the Colonials.

Examining the data just presented more closely, in the Alabama Crimson Tide’s win over the Robert Morris Colonials just mentioned, Mark Sears amassed a massive 43.8 Draftkings points.

What did we learn from the data just presented? Clearly, Mark Sears can post a high number of DFS points on any given night. I fully expect that trend to continue in tomorrow night’s matchup with the BYU Cougars.

In my opinion, Mark Sears is the most likely player to post the most Draftkings points in this NCAA tournament game. With that said, I am rolling with Alabama Crimson Tide guard Mark Sears at the captain position for this one game Draftkings NCAA Showdown contest.

Flex Plays

Grant Nelson, Forward, Alabama Crimson Tide $6,800

In addition to Mark Sears, senior forward Grant Nelson has certainly been a key contributor to the Alabama Crimson Tide starting lineup this season.

In the 35 games that guard Grant Nelson has played for the Crimson Tide in the 2024 NCAA regular season, Nelson is averaging a whopping 26.5 Draftkings points a game.

Additional flex plays I like to perform well in this game (Draftkings price noted): Richie Saunders, Forward (BYU Cougars) $10,600: Egor Demin, Guard (BYU Cougars) $9,800.

Read the rest of "Draftkings NCAA Basketball Picks: BYU vs. Alabama 3/27/25" at Sports Chat Place

Saint Mary’s Gaels Betting Preview

The Saint Mary’s Gaels recently played Oregon State, Pepperdine, Gonzaga, and Vanderbilt. Saint Mary’s has won nine of its last 10 games and has lost once twice since Christmas.

The Saint Mary’s Gaels are averaging 74.3 points on 45.6 percent shooting and allowing 60.8 points on 40.8 percent shooting. Augustas Marciulionis is averaging 14.3 points and 6 assists, while Paulius Murauskas is averaging 12.2 points and 7.9 rebounds. Mitchell Saxen is the third double-digit scorer and Luke Barrett is dishing 1.4 assists. The Saint Mary’s Gaels are shooting 33.5 percent from beyond the arc and 69.8 percent from the free throw line. The Saint Mary’s Gaels are allowing 1.6 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 36.4 rebounds per game.

Alabama Crimson Tide Betting Preview

The Alabama Crimson Tide recently played Tennessee, Florida, Auburn, Kentucky, and Robert Morris. Alabama has seen three of its eight losses come in its last six games.

The Alabama Crimson Tide are averaging 91.1 points on 48.3 percent shooting and allowing 81.4 points on 42.5 percent shooting. Mark Sears is averaging 18.8 points and 3.1 rebounds, while Grant Nelson is averaging 11.6 points and 1.6 assists. Latrell Wrightsell Jr. is the third double-digit scorer and Aden Holloway is grabbing 2 rebounds. The Alabama Crimson Tide are shooting 35 percent from beyond the arc and 71.6 percent from the free throw line. The Alabama Crimson Tide are allowing 30.8 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 39.3 rebounds per game.

Alabama vs Saint Marys Injury Report

Saint Mary’s doesn’t have a player listed on its injury report. Alabama will continue to be without Latrell Wrightsell Jr. and Houston Mallette.

Alabama vs Saint Marys Prediction

Alabama is the deeper, more talented team, but it has lost three of its last six games and had a hairy situation against Robert Morris. Saint Mary’s is an experienced, deep squad, that can score the basketball at an above-average clip and is fifth in scoring defense and top-40 in field goal percentage defense.

Saint Mary’s just put another SEC team in hell defensively, beating Vanderbilt in the first round, and we can’t ignore the outright win on the road against Gonzaga about a month ago. Saint Mary’s won’t be scared of this matchup and has the defense to hang around. I’ll take a shot with the points on Sunday night. 

Read the rest of "Alabama vs Saint Marys Prediction 3/23/25 College Basketball Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

Robert Morris Recap

The Robert Morris Colonials come into this game representing the Horizon League, finishing the year with a 26-8 mark overall including a 15-5 mark in Horizon League play to win the regular season title in the conference. As the 1-seed in the Horizon League tournament, Robert Morris took down Wright State, Oakland and Youngstown State on the way to the Horizon League crown.

Colonials Making First NCAA Tournament Appearance Since 2015

Kam Woods has 15.1 PPG, 4.6 RPG and 5.1 APG so far this season while Alvaro Folgueiras is averaging 14.1 PPG with 9.1 RPG and 3.1 APG as well this season, leading the Colonials in rebounding. Amarion Dickerson has 12.9 PPG with 5.9 RPG while Josh Omojafo has 11.4 PPG with 3.8 RPG to cap off the group of double-digit scorers for Robert Morris so far this season. Ryan Prather Jr.’s chipped in 8.3 PPG and 3 RPG while DJ Smith has 9 PPG with 2.2 RPG and 3.1 APG as well this season. As a team, Robert Morris is averaging 76.9 PPG on 45.1% shooting from the field, 35% from three and 72.2% from the foul line this season.

Why the Robert Morris Colonials will win

• Robert Morris has won each of its last 10 games.

Alabama Recap

The Alabama Crimson Tide came into the Big Dance on behalf of the SEC, finishing the year with an overall record of 25-8 including a 13-5 mark in SEC conference play. As the 3-seed in the SEC tournament, Alabama took down Kentucky in the quarterfinals before falling to Florida in the semifinals.

Crimson Tide Making 5^th Straight NCAA Tournament Appearance

Mark Sears leads Alabama in scoring and assists with 18.7 PPG and 4.9 APG along with 3 RPG while Grant Nelson has 11.8 PPG with 7.6 RPG to lead the Crimson Tide in rebounding so far this season. Labaron Philon has 10.9 PPG with 3.3 RPG and 3.6 APG and Aden Holloway has chipped in 11.4 PPG to cap off the scoring in double figures for Alabama so far this season. Chris Youngblood’s also chipped in 9.9 PPG with 2.2 RPG and Clifford Omoruyi has 7.6 PPG with 6.6 RPG this season. As a team, Alabama is averaging 91.1 PPG on 48.3% shooting from the field, 35% from three and 71.6% from the foul line this season.

Why the Alabama Crimson Tide will win

• Alabama has won each of its last 18 day games against non-AP-ranked opponents.
• Robert Morris has lost each of its last four games against the Southeastern Conference.

Total Points Facts

• Each of Robert Morris’ last eight day games have produced a total of 160 or fewer points.
• Nine of Alabama’s last 10 games have produced a total of 169+ points.

Alabama vs Robert Morris Prediction

I’m on Alabama in this one. I’ll give Robert Morris credit for what this team was able to accomplish as a cover team this season, covering at a ridiculous rate of almost 80%. However, Robert Morris had one of the weakest non-conference schedules in the country, and their one step up spot to start the year was a 28-point loss to a West Virginia team that missed the NCAA tournament. Alabama has a potent and lethal offense that can blow anyone out of the water in a hurry and I think Robert Morris is in some trouble here. I think Alabama makes a statement in game one so give me Alabama here.

Read the rest of "Alabama vs Robert Morris Prediction 3/21/25 College Basketball Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

Alabama Crimson Tide Betting Preview

The Alabama Crimson Tide recently played Tennessee, Florida, Auburn, and Kentucky. Alabama has seen four of its seven losses come in its last nine games.

The Alabama Crimson Tide are averaging 91.2 points on 48.4 percent shooting and allowing 81.1 points on 42.3 percent shooting. Mark Sears is averaging 19.2 points and 3.1 rebounds, while Grant Nelson is averaging 12.1 points and 1.6 assists. Latrell Wrightsell Jr. is the third double-digit scorer and Aden Holloway is grabbing 2 rebounds. The Alabama Crimson Tide are shooting 35 percent from beyond the arc and 71.7 percent from the free throw line. The Alabama Crimson Tide are allowing 30.4 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 39.5 rebounds per game.

Florida Gators Betting Preview

The Florida Gators recently beat Texas A&M, Alabama, Ole Miss, and Missouri. Florida has won four straight games and has lost once since February 4.

The Florida Gators are averaging 84.5 points on 46.9 percent shooting and allowing 68.2 points on 39.5 percent shooting. Walter Clayton Jr. is averaging 17.2 points and 3.8 rebounds, while Alijah Martin is averaging 14.5 points and 4.7 rebounds. Will Richard is the third double-digit scorer and Alex Condon is grabbing 8 rebounds. The Florida Gators are shooting 35.2 percent from beyond the arc and 71.1 percent from the free throw line. The Florida Gators are allowing 29.6 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 39.6 rebounds per game.

Florida vs Alabama Injury Report

Florida will be without Sam Alexis. Alabama will be without Houston Mallette and Latrell Wrightsell Jr.

Florida vs Alabama Prediction

You don’t get Alabama in the underdog role often, so I can see you talking yourself into the points. The problem is Florida has been arguably the most consistent team in the country, both SU and ATS. Florida just gets the job done with a balanced attack, and is 24-8 ATS on the season. Florida also beat Alabama on the road a couple of weeks ago.

When Alabama is hitting shots and pushing the pace, the Tide can beat any team in the country, but it won’t be as easy against a Florida defense that’s top-25 in field goal percentage defense and three-point percentage defense. I’d need more points to step in front of Florida. I like the Gators to make the SEC Final.

Read the rest of "Florida vs Alabama Prediction 3/15/25 College Basketball Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

Is Alabama for Real?

Alabama looks like one of the best teams in the country, but the last thing they want is negative momentum heading into the tournament. Two games ago, against Florida, the defense gave up 99 points, and they lost by five points. In the last game against Auburn, though the defense was still a problem, they ended up winning 93–91. It took overtime, but they scored 14 points and came out ahead. Grant Nelson had a huge game, putting up 23 points and eight rebounds. Three different players put up at least 15 points. Auburn shot 47.9 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from behind the three-point line. 

Alabama has a 24-7 overall record and has relied on its offense all season. It is averaging 91.2 points, while its defense is giving up 81.1 points per game. Five different players are averaging at least 10 points. Mark Sears has been the top player, averaging 19.2 points per game. In this game, they are going to need that balanced attack to run up the score again. 

Why Alabama Will Beat Kentucky

• Alabama has won each of its last four games when playing with a rest advantage.
• Kentucky has lost four of its last five games at Bridgestone Arena.
• Kentucky has lost the first half in four of its last five games against the Southeastern Conference at Bridgestone Arena.

What Does Kentucky Have Left?

Kentucky went through a range of emotions on Thursday against Oklahoma. It looked like they were going to cruise most of the second half, and then they blew it in the last couple of minutes until a late buck with less than a second left secured the win. The offense scored 85 points, which was impressive, but the defense left a lot to be desired, and I can’t imagine it will get any easier in this game. Otega Oweh was the top player  putting up 27 points, five rebounds,  and four assists. 

Kentucky has a 22-10 overall record, and it’s going to need to play a complete game here. The Wildcats are averaging 85.8 points, while their defense is giving up 77.8 points per game. This team has a ton of scorers, and most nights, you have no idea who is going to step up. Oweh is averaging 16.2 points per game. 

Matchup/League Facts

• Alabama ranks 364th among Division 1 teams for opponent field goal attempts per game this season (68.4).
• Alabama ranks 1st among Division 1 teams for pace this season (75.4).
• Kentucky ranks 3rd among Division 1 teams for offensive rating this season (123.8).
• Kentucky ranks 3rd among Division 1 teams for defensive rating this season (111.1).

Alabama vs Kentucky Prediction

There was so much emotion from Kentucky on Thursday; this is quite the letdown spot for them here. Kentucky’s defense is giving up 77.8 points per game, and they will have some major issues here. Alabama is averaging 91.2 points per game, with so many scorers are on this team. Kentucky will stick around for a half, but in the second half the tired legs will really hurt them, and Alabama will end up cruising here. Back Alabama to win this game and cover the spread.

Read the rest of "Alabama vs Kentucky Prediction 3/14/25 College Basketball Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

Before we dive into the Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Auburn Tigers game let’s review the rules for Draftkings single game showdown contest.

Draftkings Single Game Showdown Contest Rules

You have $50,000 to utilize on five players from either team. However, one of those players will be designated as your team captain. The captain accumulates 1.5 times the standard fantasy points. Additionally, the captain is 1.5 times the standard cost of the flex position.

The remaining four players in your lineup will receive the standard fantasy points. Having stated that, it is highly important for you to identify the correct player for your captain position if you hope to win a large field DFS GPP (guaranteed prize pool) showdown contest.

If you have additional questions regarding the rules for the single game showdown contest, I recommend that you check out the Draftkings website for more details.

*I recommend that all readers review the starting lineups for both teams prior to setting your DFS lineup for this one game slate.

Here are my Draftkings picks for tomorrow afternoon’s Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Auburn Tigers matchup.

Draftkings NCAA College Basketball Showdown Picks

Captain-Mark Sears, Guard, Alabama Crimson Tide $11,000

Talented guard Mark Sears has certainly been a standout performer for the Alabama Crimson Tide this season. To better understand the importance of the senior guard’s contributions to the Alabama basketball team’s achievements this season let’s review Sears game data from the 2024 NCAA regular season.

In the 30 games that guard Mark Sears has played for the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2024 NCAA regular season, Sears is averaging a robust 19.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.1 steals a game.

Looking closer at the data just presented, in the 30 games that Mark Sears has played for the Alabama Crimson Tide this season, Sears has compiled a 41.2% field goal percentage, a 35.3% three-point percentage and a free throw percentage of 84.7%.

Last month, in the Alabama Crimson Tide’s 113-80 victory over the Texas Longhorns, Alabama guard Mark Sears played exceptionally well. Let me be more specific. Sears accumulated 18 points, two rebounds, three assists and one steal in the Crimson Tide’s win over the Texas Longhorns.

Examining the data just presented more closely, in the Alabama Crimson Tide’s win over the Texas Longhorns just mentioned, Mark Sears amassed 26.5 Draftkings points.

As I noted in the rules section above, selecting the correct player at the captain position for a Draftkings NCAA showdown lineup is absolutely vital if you hope to win a large field GPP (guaranteed prize pool) DFS contest. Keep that in mind as you construct your lineups for this one game Draftkings slate.

In my opinion, Mark Sears is the most likely player to post the most Draftkings points in this evening’s NCAA regular season game. With that said, I am rolling with Alabama Crimson Tide guard Mark Sears at the captain position for this one game Draftkings NCAA Showdown contest.

Flex Plays

Grant Nelson, Forward, Alabama Crimson Tide $7,800

In addition to Mark Sears, senior forward Grant Nelson has certainly been a key contributor to the Alabama Crimson Tide starting lineup this season.

In the 30 games that guard Grant Nelson has played for the Crimson Tide in the 2024 NCAA regular season, Nelson is averaging a rather impressive 27.3 Draftkings points a game.

Additional flex plays I like to perform well in this game (Draftkings price noted): Johni Broome, Forward (Auburn Tigers) $11,600: Miles Kelly, Guard (Auburn Tigers) $8,200.

Read the rest of "Draftkings NCAA Basketball Picks: Alabama vs. Auburn 3/8/25" at Sports Chat Place

Alabama Crimson Tide Betting Preview

The Alabama Crimson Tide are coming off losses to Tennessee and Florida. Alabama has lost four of its last six games, but hasn’t lost three straight games since December 2023.

The Alabama Crimson Tide are averaging 91.1 points on 48.3 percent shooting and allowing 80.7 points on 42.1 percent shooting. Mark Sears is averaging 19.5 points and 3.1 rebounds, while Aden Holloway is averaging 11.7 points and 1.7 assists. Grant Nelson is the third double-digit scorer and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. is grabbing 1.8 rebounds. The Alabama Crimson Tide are shooting 35.1 percent from beyond the arc and 71.8 percent from the free throw line. The Alabama Crimson Tide are allowing 30.1 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 39.5 rebounds per game.

Auburn Tigers Betting Preview

The Auburn Tigers recently beat Ole Miss and Kentucky, while losing to Texas A&M. Auburn hasn’t lost two straight games this season, and it’s senior night for 10 seniors on this roster.

The Auburn Tigers are averaging 85 points on 48.5 percent shooting and allowing 69.2 points on 40.5 percent shooting. Johni Broome is averaging 18 points and 3.3 assists, while Chad Baker-Mazara is averaging 13.1 points and 3.3 rebounds. Tahaad Pettiford is the third double-digit scorer and Miles Kelly is grabbing 3.7 rebounds. The Auburn Tigers are shooting 37.2 percent from beyond the arc and 75 percent from the free throw line. The Auburn Tigers are allowing 29.6 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 34.6 rebounds per game.

Auburn vs Alabama Injury Report

Denver Jones is questionable for Auburn with an ankle injury. Alabama will be without Latrell Wrightsell Jr. and Houston Mallette, while Derrion Reid is questionable with a lower-body injury.

Auburn vs Alabama Prediction

Alabama is in a funk with losses in four of its last six games and lost to Auburn at a home a few weeks ago. Auburn was way too comfortable offensively, scoring 94 points on 46 percent shooting and making 12 threes. The line feels accurate. However, I don’t expect Alabama to stay down forever, and this is still a rivalry game where points usually come at a premium. Also, we have to watch the injury report to see if Jones is going to play for Auburn. Jones has been key for Auburn’s depth all season, and the Tigers just lost to Texas A&M when he didn’t play. Check for updates before betting. Either way, I want the points with Alabama in this SEC clash.

Read the rest of "Auburn vs Alabama Prediction 3/8/25 College Basketball Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

Florida Gators Betting Preview

The Florida Gators (25-4, 21-8 ATS) were on a six-game winning streak and close to record the seventh in a row but fell short to the Georgia Bulldogs 88-83 on the road. Still, Florida responded in style with an 89-70 home victory over Texas A&M. Florida is 2nd in the SEC Standings with the same record as Alabama and 2.5 games behind Auburn. Although both teams will play one more game after this one, the tilt on Wednesday will be the battle for the No. 2 seed.

Florida is averaging 83.8 PPG (10th) and is allowing 67.2 PPG (51st). The Gators are getting 42.0 RPG (5th) and dish out 15.8 APG (65th). Walter Clayton Jr. is the team’s top scorer with 16.9 PPG, 3.7 RPG, a team-high 4.0 APG, and 1.3 SPG. Alijah Martin adds 14.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 2.4 APG, and 1.7 SPG, while Will Richard contributes 13.6 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and a game-high 1.8 SPG.

Alabama Crimson Tide Betting Preview

The Alabama Crimson Tide (23-6, 17-12 ATS) are experiencing their worst sequence of results after losing three of the last four games. The defeats to Auburn and Missouri were consecutive, the first time this season that Alabama had lost two in a row. The Tide allowed even 204 points in those losses, and even though they bounced back with a massive 111-73 victory over Mississippi State, they lost the following game to Tennessee. Alabama is 3rd in the SEC Standings.

Alabama averages 91.0 PPG (1st) and allows 80.1 PPG (349th). The Crimson Tide are 2nd in rebounds (43.7) and 32nd in assists (16.8). Mark Sears leads the team with 19.1 PPG, 3.0 RPG, a team-high 5.0 APG, and 1.0 SPG. Aden Holloway follows him with 12.0 PPG and 2.0 RPG, while Grant Nelson contributes 11.8 PPG, a team-high 8.0 RPG, and a team-high 1.3 BPG.

Why Florida will beat Alabama

• Florida has won 19 of its last 21 night games.
• Alabama has lost six of its last seven games against Top 5 AP-ranked opponents.
• Alabama has lost the first half in six of its last seven night games against Top 5 AP-ranked opponents.

Why Alabama will beat Florida

• Alabama has won 41 of its last 45 games at Coleman Coliseum.
• Florida has lost each of its last three games at Coleman Coliseum.
• The home team has won the first half in each of Florida’s last six games.

Total Points Facts

• Each of Florida’s last 16 night games has produced a total of 174 or fewer points.
• Each of Alabama’s last five night games against Top 5 AP-ranked opponents have produced a total of 176 or fewer points.

Alabama vs Florida Prediction

These rivals had split the last ten H2H duels and betting on the winner is not something I’d recommend here. It’s an important game for both – the No. 2 is at stake. Now, betting on the total is a whole other story. Seven of the previous ten H2Hs went Over, and Florida reached a 100-point mark in each of the last two encounters. Also, overtime is a possibility; this occurred in two of the last seven H2Hs. Alabama has hit the Game Total Over in 21 of its last 37 games, while Florida has hit the Team Total Over in 21 of its last 36 games. Go with Over.

Read the rest of "Alabama vs Florida Prediction 3/5/25 College Basketball Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

Alabama Crimson Tide Betting Preview

Alabama has been quite the consistent team all season. They’ve got just five defeats so far, with only one instance of consecutive losses. The Tide kicked things off with a 6-2 stretch featuring defeats by Purdue and Oregon. A win streak over North Carolina, Creighton, North Dakota, Kent State, South Dakota State, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas A&M came next before another loss to Ole Miss. Alabama would beat Kentucky, Vanderbilt, LSU, Mississippi State, Georgia, Arkansas and Texas in the next seven before losses to Auburn and Missouri. Since then it’s been wins over Kentucky and Mississippi State however, which gives the Crimson Tide a 23-5 record across their first 28 games of the 2024-25 campaign so far.

In the Mississippi State game on Tuesday, the Tide came out of the first half sporting a dominant 53-27 advantage. Alabama cruised the rest of the way on a 58-46 second half and took the easy blowout win 111-73. Leading the way was Chris Youngblood with 27 points, three rebounds and one assist in 26 minutes. Mark Sears wasn’t close behind with 21 points, 10 assists, three rebounds and three steals for a double-double. Leading the bench scorers was Aden Holloway with 13 points and five assists, while Mouhamed Dioubate doubled up on 10 bench points and 11 rebounds in 17 minutes of work.

Tennessee Volunteers Betting Preview

Over on the Tennessee side, they had a bit of a choppy run going back in January but outside of that it’s been a great year in the record column so far. The Volunteers stormed out of the gate with a 14-game win streak that lasted from November 4 to January 7 when the team took their first defeat at the hands of Florida (a road loss). A 3-3 run came next with losses to Vanderbilt, Auburn and Kentucky among wins over Texas, Georgia and Mississippi State. Since then it’s been a 6-1 run with a loss to Kentucky amid wins over Florida, Missouri, Oklahoma, Vanderbilt, Texas A&M and LSU. In total that gives the Volunteers a 23-5 overall record across their first 28 games of the season so far.

Matched up against LSU in their Tuesday game, the Vols held a 26-23 edge by the break. Tennessee kept it going in the second half with a 39-36 run and took the eventual victory 65-59. Tops in scoring was Zakai Zeigler with 17 points, two steals and three assists. Felix Okpara added 15 points with seven boards and two blocks, while Chaz Lanier chipped in on 14 points with nine rebounds in 36 minutes of work during the victory.

Why the Tennessee Volunteers will win

• Tennessee has won 14 of its last 15 games at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center.
• Alabama has lost five of its last six games against Top 5 AP-ranked opponents.
• Tennessee has won the first half in 10 of its last 12 day games.

Why the Alabama Crimson Tide will win

• Alabama has won each of its last eight games following a home win.
• Alabama has won the first half in six of its last seven road games against the Southeastern Conference.

Total Points Facts

• Each of Alabama’s last 15 road games against Conference opponents have produced a total of 156+ points.
• Each of Tennessee’s last 10 day games against Top 10 AP-ranked opponents have produced a total of 146 or fewer points.

Tennessee vs Alabama Prediction

I’ll probably go with Alabama here. The Tide cruised right on past Mississippi State in a home win during their last outing, shooting a nice 52.1 percent from the field, 48.9 percent (22-of-45) from 3-point range and 15-of-18 (83.3 percent) from the line. Alabama also scooped up 42 rebounds and had an impressive 28 team assists along the way. Defensively the Tide held a pretty good Bulldogs team to just 38.4 percent shooting from the field. Alabama is on a scoring tear these days, with 85 or more points in 11 straight games (a 9-2 run).

As for Tennessee, they didn’t shoot great (41.1 percent) in their latest win over LSU but made up for it on a 44-28 rebounding edge. The Vols have been a mixed bag when it comes to scoring totals lately, but the defense has been strong. It’ll be interesting to see what they can do against the Alabama offense. Should be a great game to watch.

Read the rest of "Tennessee vs Alabama Prediction 3/1/25 College Basketball Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

Mississippi State Bulldogs Betting Preview

The Mississippi State Bulldogs beat Texas A&M, lost to Oklahoma, and they play LSU, Texas, and Arkansas next. Mississippi State is 5-7 since starting the season with a 14-1 record.

The Mississippi State Bulldogs are averaging 79.3 points on 45.4 percent shooting and allowing 71.9 points on 43.1 percent shooting. Josh Hubbard is averaging 17.9 points and 3.3 assists, while KeShawn Murphy is averaging 11.4 points and 7.5 rebounds. Claudell Harris Jr. is the third double-digit scorer and Riley Kugel is dishing 1.5 assists. The Mississippi State Bulldogs are shooting 31.7 percent from beyond the arc and 69.3 percent from the free throw line. The Mississippi State Bulldogs are allowing 36 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 35.9 rebounds per game.

Alabama Crimson Tide Betting Preview

The Alabama Crimson Tide lost to Missouri, beat Kentucky, and they play Tennessee, Florida, and Auburn next. Alabama is playing a fourth straight-ranked opponent and just smoked Kentucky.

The Alabama Crimson Tide are averaging 90.9 points on 48.4 percent shooting and allowing 80.4 points on 42 percent shooting. Mark Sears is averaging 18.9 points and 3 rebounds, while Grant Nelson is averaging 12.2 points and 1.7 assists. Aden Holloway is the third double-digit scorer and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. is grabbing 1.8 rebounds. The Alabama Crimson Tide are shooting 34.2 percent from beyond the arc and 71.9 percent from the free throw line. The Alabama Crimson Tide are allowing 30.4 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 39.8 rebounds per game.

Alabama vs Mississippi State Injury Report

Alabama will be without Latrell Wrightsell Jr., Houston Mallette, and Derrion Reid. Mississippi State will continue to be without Kanye Clary.

Alabama vs Mississippi State Prediction

Mississippi State isn’t the same team it was earlier in the season as it’s 5-7 since starting the year with wins in 14 of 15 games. Mississippi State also lost to Alabama by four points a few weeks ago. Alabama has won nine of the last 10 games against Mississippi State. Alabama has been one of the more consistent teams in the SEC and is 11-2 SU at home. While the experience and talent is there, there’s just something off with Mississippi State at the moment. Give me an Alabama in a reasonable home win.

Read the rest of "Alabama vs Mississippi State Prediction 2/25/25 College Basketball Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

Before we dive into the Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Kentucky Wildcats game let’s review the rules for Draftkings single game showdown contest.

Draftkings Single Game Showdown Contest Rules

You have $50,000 to utilize on five players from either team. However, one of those players will be designated as your team captain. The captain accumulates 1.5 times the standard fantasy points. Additionally, the captain is 1.5 times the standard cost of the flex position.

The remaining four players in your lineup will receive the standard fantasy points. Having stated that, it is highly important for you to identify the correct player for your captain position if you hope to win a large field DFS GPP (guaranteed prize pool) showdown contest.

If you have additional questions regarding the rules for the single game showdown contest, I recommend that you check out the Draftkings website for more details.

*I recommend that all readers review the starting lineups for both teams prior to setting your DFS lineup for this one game slate.

Here are my Draftkings picks for tomorrow night’s Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Missouri Tigers matchup.

Draftkings NCAA College Basketball Showdown Picks

Captain-Mark Sears, Guard, Alabama Crimson Tide $10,600

Senior guard Mark Sears has been the floor general that the Alabama Crimson Tide have needed to win games this season. To better understand the importance of the talented guard’s contributions to the Alabama basketball success on the basketball court this season let’s review Sears game data from the 2024 NCAA regular season.

In the 26 games that guard Mark Sears has played for the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2024 NCAA regular season, Sears is averaging a robust 18.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 0.9 steals a game.

Looking closer at the data just presented, in the 25 games that Mark Sears has played for the Alabama Crimson Tide this season, Sears has compiled a 40.9% field goal percentage, a 35.2 three-point percentage and a free throw percentage of 83.1%.

More recently, in the Missouri Tiger’s 110-98 win over the Alabama Crimson Tide, Alabama guard Mark Sears played exceptionally well. Let me be more specific. Sears tallied 35 points, two rebounds and five assists in the Missouri Tiger’s victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Examining the data just presented more closely, in the Tiger’s win over the Crimson Tide just mentioned, Mark Sears amassed a massive 45.5 Draftkings points.

As I noted in the rules section above, selecting the correct player at the captain position for a Draftkings NCAA showdown lineup is absolutely vital if you hope to win a large field GPP (guaranteed prize pool) DFS contest. Keep that in mind as you construct your lineups for this one game Draftkings slate.

In my view, Mark Sears is the most likely player to post the most Draftkings points in this evening’s NCAA regular season game. Having stated that, I am backing Alabama Crimson Tide guard Mark Sears at the captain position for this one game Draftkings NCAA Showdown contest.

Flex Plays

Labaron Philon, Guard, Alabama Crimson Tide $6,400

In addition to Mark Sears, freshman guard Labaron Philon certainly been a key contributor to the Alabama Crimson Tide team achievements this season.

In the 26 games that guard Labaron Philon has played for the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2024 NCAA regular season, Philon is averaging a robust 31.1 Draftkings points a game.

Additional flex plays I like to perform well in this game (Draftkings price noted): Otega Oweh, Guard (Kentucky) $10,600: Amari Williams, Forward (Kentucky) $10,000.

Read the rest of "Draftkings NCAA Basketball Picks: Kentucky vs. Alabama 2/22/25" at Sports Chat Place

Kentucky Wildcats Betting Preview

The Kentucky Wildcats lost to Texas, beat Vanderbilt, and they play Oklahoma, Auburn, and LSU next. The Kentucky Wildcats are averaging 85.8 points on 48.8 percent shooting and allowing 75.7 points on 42.3 percent shooting. Otega Oweh is averaging 16.2 points and 4.7 rebounds, while Jaxson Robinson is averaging 13.3 points and 3.7 rebounds. Lamont Butler is the third double-digit scorer and Amari Williams is dishing 2.9 assists. The Kentucky Wildcats are shooting 38 percent from beyond the arc and 73.7 percent from the free throw line. The Kentucky Wildcats are allowing 29 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 35.2 rebounds per game.

Alabama Crimson Tide Betting Preview

The Alabama Crimson Tide lost to Auburn and Missouri, and they play Mississippi State, Tennessee, and Florida next. The Alabama Crimson Tide are averaging 90.7 points on 48.2 percent shooting and allowing 80.3 points on 41.9 percent shooting. Mark Sears is averaging 18.5 points and 3 rebounds, while Grant Nelson is averaging 12.5 points and 1.7 assists. Aden Holloway is the third double-digit scorer and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. is grabbing 1.8 rebounds. The Alabama Crimson Tide are shooting 34.2 percent from beyond the arc and 71.5 percent from the free throw line. The Alabama Crimson Tide are allowing 30.2 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 39.8 rebounds per game.

Alabama vs Kentucky Injury Report

Kentucky will be without Kerr Kriisa, while Lamont Butler and Jaxson Robinson are questionable. Alabama will be without Latrell Wrightsell Jr. and Houston Mallette, while Derrion Reid is questionable with a lower-body injury.

Alabama vs Kentucky Prediction

The Alabama Crimson Tide are the better, more consistent team that’s 10-2 SU at home, while Kentucky has five road losses. I understand all that. However, this is a talented Kentucky team, and it’s weird seeing them as a massive underdog. In fact, this is just the fourth time since 2019 where Kentucky is an underdog of eight or more points. Kentucky and Alabama met a month ago, and it was a back and forth contest that produced a combined 199 points. Kentucky is top-25 in offensive field goal percentage and offensive three point percentage, while being third in scoring. This is a lot of points to give a Kentucky team that can light it up and even win outright if the shots fall. It’s also worth noting that Kentucky is 3-0 SU and ATS in its last three games as an underdog of eight or more points. Give me Kentucky and the free buckets. 

Read the rest of "Alabama vs Kentucky Prediction 2/22/25 College Basketball Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

Alabama Crimson Tide Betting Preview

The Crimson Tide have done quite well this year overall, with only a few scattered losses versus some difficult opponents in the books. Alabama opened up on a 6-2 run with losses to Purdue and Oregon among wins versus UNC Asheville, Arkansas State, McNeese State, Illinois, Houston, and Rutgers. A win streak over North Carolina, Creighton, North Dakota, Kent State, South Dakota State, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas A&M came next, then a loss to Ole Miss. The Tide would then take out Kentucky, Vanderbilt, LSU, Mississippi State, Georgia, Arkansas, and Texas over the next seven games before a loss to rival Auburn. Overall that gives the Crimson Tide a 21-4 record in their first 25 games of the year so far.

Matched up against Auburn in their Saturday outing, the Tide were down 42-33 going into the second half. Alabama held the pace from there on a 52-52 run but still took the loss at the end 94-85. Mark Sears led the way in the losing effort with 18 points and two assists, while Grant Nelson doubled up on 12 points with 12 boards and one assist. Clifford Omoruyi had 12 rebounds and eight points, while both Labaron Philon and Aden Holloway led the bench scoring 10 points apiece.

Missouri Tigers Betting Preview

Over on the Tigers’ side, they’ve had quite the solid season themselves with relatively few losses. Missouri fell to Memphis in their opener then took out Howard, Eastern Washington, MS Valley State, Pacific, AR-Pine Bluff, Lindenwood, Cal, Kansas, Long Island U, and Jacksonville State. A 1-2 run with a win over Alabama State in between losses to Illinois and Auburn came next, then wins over LSU, Vanderbilt, Florida, and Arkansas. After another loss to Texas, the Tigers hit a 4-2 run. Those losses were versus Tennessee and Texas A&M. Otherwise it was wins over Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Oklahoma, and Georgia in that time. The result so far has been a 19-6 overall run across the first 25 games of the season.

In the Georgia matchup on Saturday, the Tigers opened up on a 41-38 deficit in the first half. Missouri woke up from there on a 49-33 run and took the eventual win at the end 87-74, however. Anthony Robinson led the starters with 15 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and four steals in 26 minutes. Caleb Grill also had 15 points off the bench alongside five rebounds and four steals in 28 minutes on the floor. Mark Mitchell added 14 points with five rebounds and two assists, and Tamar Bates chipped in 13 points with three boards.

Why the Missouri Tigers will win

• Missouri has won each of its last 10 night games at Mizzou Arena.
• Alabama has lost three of its last four games at Mizzou Arena.
• Missouri has won the first half in nine of its last 10 night games at Mizzou Arena.

Why the Alabama Crimson Tide will win

• Alabama has won each of its last eight road games.
• Missouri has lost nine of its last 10 night games against Top 5 AP-ranked opponents.
• Alabama has won the first half in each of its last six road games against the Southeastern Conference.

Missouri vs Alabama Prediction

I’m going to stick with Alabama here. The Tide are coming off a rough loss to a very good Auburn team though, and they’ll need to get back on the horse quickly. Alabama shot just 38.6 percent from the field and 19.2 percent (5-of-26) from 3-point range in that defeat, giving up 46.2 percent on the other side. The good news is that the Tide were good on the boards with a 49-40 edge and had just seven turnovers. Alabama has scored 80 or more points in eight straight games now, a 7-1 overall run.

As for Missouri, they started pretty slowly against Georgia but everything worked out well in the end. The Tigers did give up 52.5 percent shooting in the win, though. Missouri has now scored a combined 169 points in their last pair of games, and they’ll likely need to keep that going if they’re going to steal a win here. I like a competitive matchup overall but in the end, I think Alabama takes the cover. Should be a fun one to watch.

Read the rest of "Missouri vs Alabama Prediction 2/19/25 College Basketball Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

Before we dive into the Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Auburn Tigers game let’s review the rules for Draftkings single game showdown contest.

Draftkings Single Game Showdown Contest Rules

You have $50,000 to utilize on five players from either team. However, one of those players will be designated as your team captain. The captain accumulates 1.5 times the standard fantasy points. Additionally, the captain is 1.5 times the standard cost of the flex position.

The remaining four players in your lineup will receive the standard fantasy points. Having stated that, it is highly important for you to identify the correct player for your captain position if you hope to win a large field DFS GPP (guaranteed prize pool) showdown contest.

If you have additional questions regarding the rules for the single game showdown contest, I recommend that you check out the Draftkings website for more details.

*I recommend that all readers review the starting lineups for both teams prior to setting your DFS lineup for this one game slate.

Here are my Draftkings picks for tonight’s Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Auburn Tigers matchup.

Draftkings NCAA College Basketball Showdown Picks

Captain-Mark Sears, Guard, Alabama Crimson Tide $10,600

Senior guard Mark Sears has certainly been a standout performer for the Alabama Crimson Tide this season. To better understand the importance of the talented guard’s contributions to the Alabama basketball team’s achievements this season let’s review Sears game data from the 2024 NCAA regular season.

In the 24 games that guard Mark Sears has played for the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2024 NCAA regular season, Sears is averaging a robust 17.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.1 steals a game.

Looking closer at the data just presented, in the 24 games that Mark Sears has played for the Alabama Crimson Tide this season, Sears has compiled a 40.6% field goal percentage, a 35.7 three-point percentage and a free throw percentage of 83.1%.

More recently, in the Alabama Crimson Tide’s 113-80 win over the Texas Longhorns four days ago, Alabama guard Mark Sears played exceptionally well. Let me be more specific. Sears accumulated 18 points, two rebounds, three assists and one steal in the Crimson Tide’s victory over the Texas Longhorns.

Examining the data just presented more closely, in the Alabama Crimson Tide’s win over the Texas Longhorns just mentioned, Mark Sears tallied 26.5 Draftkings points.

As I noted in the rules section above, selecting the correct player at the captain position for a Draftkings NCAA showdown lineup is absolutely vital if you hope to win a large field GPP (guaranteed prize pool) DFS contest. Keep that in mind as you construct your lineups for this one game Draftkings slate.

In my opinion, Mark Sears is the most likely player to post the most Draftkings points in this evening’s NCAA regular season game. With that said, I am rolling with Alabama Crimson Tide guard Mark Sears at the captain position for this one game Draftkings NCAA Showdown contest.

Flex Plays

Grant Nelson, Forward, Alabama Crimson Tide $9,800

In addition to Mark Sears, senior forward Grant Nelson has certainly been a key contributor to the Alabama Crimson Tide starting lineup this season.

In the 24 games that guard Tre Johnson has played for the Texas Longhorns in the 2024 NCAA regular season, Johnson is averaging a rather impressive 28.8 Draftkings points a game.

Additional flex plays I like to perform well in this game (Draftkings price noted): Johni Broome, Forward (Auburn) $12,000: Denver Jones, Guard (Auburn) $8,200.

Read the rest of "Draftkings NCAA Basketball Picks: Auburn vs. Alabama 2/15/25" at Sports Chat Place

Auburn Recap

The Auburn Tigers come into this game looking to add on to their 80-68 win over Vanderbilt last time out to improve to 22-2 on the year. After this game, Auburn will head home for a game against Arkansas.

Tigers Looking For Statement Win

Johni Broome leads the Tigers across the board, averaging a double-double per game with team-highs of 18.1 PPG, 10.7 RPG and 3.3 APG along with 2.7 BPG, while Chad Baker-Mazara has 12.2 PPG with 3.4 RPG and 2.6 APG. Tahaad Pettiford has 11.5 PPG with 2.7 APG while Denver Jones has 10.5 PPG and 2.7 APG. Chaney Johnson has 10.2 PPG with 5.3 RPG and Miles Kelly’s added 10.8 PPG to cap off the group of double-digit scorers for Auburn up to this point in the year. As a team, Auburn is averaging 84.8 PPG on 48.6% shooting from the field, 37.2% from behind the arc and 74.1% from the foul line this season.

Why the Auburn Tigers will win

• Auburn has won 16 of its last 17 games against the Southeastern Conference.
• Alabama has lost four of its last five games against Top 5 AP-ranked opponents.

Alabama Recap

The Alabama Crimson Tide come into this game looking to add on to their 103-80 win over Texas last time out to improve to 21-3 on the year. After this game, Alabama will head on the road for a matchup with Missouri.

Crimson Tide Win 7^th In A Row

Mark Sears leads Alabama in scoring and assists with 17.8 PPG and 4.9 APG along with 3.1 RPG while Grant Nelson has 12.7 PPG with 8.1 RPG to lead the Crimson Tide in rebounding so far this season. Labaron Philon has 10.4 PPG with 3.5 RPG and 3.5 APG and Aden Holloway has chipped in 11.8 PPG to cap off the scoring in double figures for Alabama so far this season. As a team, Alabama is averaging 90.5 PPG on 48.4% shooting from the field, 34.4% from three and 71.3% from the foul line this season.

Why the Alabama Crimson Tide will win

• Alabama has won each of its last 19 day games at Coleman Coliseum.
• Auburn has lost six of its last seven day games against Top 10 AP-ranked opponents.

Total Points Facts

• Twenty-eight of Auburn’s last 29 day games against Conference opponents have produced a total of 171 or fewer points.
• Six of Alabama’s last seven day games against the Southeastern Conference have produced a total of 175+ points.

Alabama vs Auburn Prediction

I’m on Auburn in this one. I think you can’t go wrong having points in your pocket with this game because either way, you’d be getting points with one of the best teams in the country in arguably the biggest regular season game in SEC history. Auburn though, has the mettle to go into Tuscaloosa and hang and potentially win outright here. The Tigers play outstanding defense and with Johni Broome back, the Tigers have the size inside to be able to bang with Alabama on the glass and Auburn’s had no qualms about being able to put up the scoring output to keep themselves in a game like this. I think this is going to be a fantastic game, but in the end, having points with Auburn is where I want to be here.

Read the rest of "Alabama vs Auburn Prediction 2/15/25 College Basketball Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

Before we dive into the Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Texas Longhorns game let’s review the rules for Draftkings single game showdown contest.

Draftkings Single Game Showdown Contest Rules

You have $50,000 to utilize on five players from either team. However, one of those players will be designated as your team captain. The captain accumulates 1.5 times the standard fantasy points. Additionally, the captain is 1.5 times the standard cost of the flex position.

The remaining four players in your lineup will receive the standard fantasy points. Having stated that, it is highly important for you to identify the correct player for your captain position if you hope to win a large field DFS GPP (guaranteed prize pool) showdown contest.

If you have additional questions regarding the rules for the single game showdown contest, I recommend that you check out the Draftkings website for more details.

*I recommend that all readers review the starting lineups for both teams prior to setting your DFS lineup for this one game slate.

Here are my Draftkings picks for tonight’s Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Texas Longhorns matchup.

Draftkings NCAA College Basketball Showdown Picks

Captain-Mark Sears, Guard, Alabama Crimson Tide $9,600

Senior guard Mark Sears has certainly been a standout performer for the Alabama Crimson Tide this season. To better understand the importance of the talented guard’s contributions to the Alabama basketball team’s achievements this season let’s review Sears game data from the 2024 NCAA regular season.

In the 23 games that guard Mark Sears has played for the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2024 NCAA regular season, Sears is averaging a robust 17.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.1 steals a game.

Looking closer at the data just presented, in the 23 games that Mark Sears has played for the Alabama Crimson Tide this season, Sears has compiled a 40.4% field goal percentage, a 35.6 three-point percentage and a free throw percentage of 83.1%.

More recently, in the Alabama Crimson Tide’s convincing 90-69 win over the Georgia Bulldogs ten days ago, Alabama guard Mark Sears played exceptionally well. Let me be more specific. Sears amassed 20 points, five rebounds, six assists and one steal in the Crimson Tide’s victory over the Georgia Bulldogs.

Examining the data just presented more closely, in the Alabama Crimson Tide’s win over the Georgia Bulldogs just mentioned, Mark Sears tallied 42.1 Draftkings points.

As I noted in the rules section above, selecting the correct player at the captain position for a Draftkings NCAA showdown lineup is absolutely vital if you hope to win a large field GPP (guaranteed prize pool) DFS contest. Keep that in mind as you construct your lineups for this one game Draftkings slate.

In my opinion, Mark Sears is the most likely player to post the most Draftkings points in this evening’s NCAA regular season game. With that said, I am rolling with Alabama Crimson Tide guard Mark Sears at the captain position for this one game Draftkings NCAA Showdown contest.

Flex Plays

Tre Johnson, Guard, Texas Longhorns $10,200

Freshman guard Tre Johnson has certainly been a key contributor to the Texas Longhorns starting lineup this season.

In the 24 games that guard Tre Johnson has played for the Texas Longhorns in the 2024 NCAA regular season, Johnson is averaging a rather impressive 29.5 Draftkings points a game.

Additional flex plays I like to perform well in this game (Draftkings price noted): Clifford Omoruyi, Forward (Alabama Crimson Tide) $11,000: Jordan Pope, Guard (Texas Longhorns) $5,000.

Read the rest of "Draftkings NCAA Basketball Picks: Alabama vs. Texas 2/11/25" at Sports Chat Place

Texas Longhorns Betting Preview

The Texas Longhorns are 15-9 (4-7) this year after they lost to Vanderbilt by a score of 86-78 in their last game. Texas led 39-35 at halftime, but they allowed 51 points in the second half in the loss. The Longhorns shot 41.7% from the field, 36% on three-pointers, and 70.4% on free throws in the game. Tre Johnson led Texas with 15 points and five rebounds, while Arthur Kaluma added 12 points and seven rebounds in the loss.

Prior to that game, the Longhorns lost to Arkansas by a score of 78-70 but did beat LSU by a score of 89-58 before that. Texas has lost three of their last four games and they are currently near the bottom of the SEC standings with a 4-7 record. Texas has scored 78.5 points per game and they have allowed 67.5 points per game, while also averaging 35.9 rebounds and 13.6 assists per game this season. Tre Johnson is averaging 19.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game, while Arthur Kaluma is averaging 13.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game this year. Texas is shooting 47.3% from the field, 75.1% on free throws, and 36.7% on three-pointers this season. 

Alabama Crimson Tide Betting Preview

The Alabama Crimson Tide are 20-3 (9-1) this season after they defeated Arkansas by a score of 85-81 in their last game. Alabama led 40-34 at halftime but did allow 47 points in the second half in the win. The Crimson Tide shot 54.8% from the field, 26.3% on three-pointers, and 66.7% on free throws in the game. Grant Nelson led Alabama with 15 points and four rebounds, while Chris Youngblood added 15 points and three rebounds in the game. 

Prior to that win, the Crimson Tide defeated Georgia by a score of 90-69 and Mississippi State by a score of 88-84. Alabama has won six games in a row and they are currently tied for first in the SEC standings with a 9-1 record. Alabama has scored 90 points per game and they have allowed 78.4 points per game, while also averaging 44.3 rebounds and 17.0 assists per game this season. Mark Sears is averaging 17.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game, while Grant Nelson is averaging 12.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game this year. Alabama is shooting 47.9% from the field, 70.7% on free throws, and 33.4% on three-pointers this season. 

Why Alabama will beat Texas

• Alabama has won each of its last nine games against non-AP-ranked opponents.
• Texas has lost each of its last seven games against Top 10 AP-ranked opponents.
• Texas has lost the first half in each of its last seven games against Top 10 AP-ranked opponents.

Total Points Facts

• Twenty-two of Texas’ last 23 night games at Moody Center have produced a total of 164 or fewer points.
• Nine of Alabama’s last 10 road games against Conference opponents have produced a total of 166+ points.

Texas vs Alabama Prediction 

Alabama comes into this matchup ranked #2 in the country and they have won six games in a row, but they will be on the road for this game. The Crimson Tide have scored 90 points per game this year and they have been one of the best offensive teams in the country. Alabama has had some close calls on the road in recent weeks, as they have won by five points or fewer in each of their last three road games. Texas has dropped three of their last four games and they have allowed 86 and 78 in their last two. The Longhorns are just 4-7 in conference play this year and I don’t think they have the offense to hang with a team like Alabama. Take the Crimson Tide here. 

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