The Illinois Fighting Illini take on the Alabama Crimson Tide in Birmingham, AL as part of the C.M. Newton Classic. Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
The Tide are favored by 7.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -340. The total is set at 167.5 points.
Here’s my Illinois vs Alabama predictions and college basketball picks for November 20, 2024.
Illinois vs Alabama Prediction
My Pick: Alabama -6.5 (Play to -8)
My Illinois vs Alabama best bet is on the Tide spread, with the best odds currently available at Caesars. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Illinois vs Alabama Odds, Lines, Pick
| Illinois Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Point Spread | Total Points | Moneyline |
+8 -110 | 168.5 -110 / -110 | +280 |
| Alabama Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Point Spread | Total Points | Moneyline |
-8 -110 | 168.5 -110 / -110 | -340 |
- Illinois vs Alabama spread: Alabama -8
- Illinois vs Alabama total: 168.5 points
- Illinois vs Alabama moneyline: Alabama -360, Illinois +280
- Illinois vs Alabama best bet: Alabama -6.5
My Illinois vs Alabama NCAAB Betting Preview
Alabama started a brutal seven-game stretch — one that includes six matchups against top-25 opponents — with a loss to Purdue.
While we will know a lot about the Tide's National Championship hopes by mid-December, there are question marks in Tuscaloosa after their first big game.
First, Mark Sears, who came into the season as a contender for National Player of the Year, hasn't lived up to the high expectations just yet. Against Purdue, he was throughly outplayed by Braden Smith and shot a poor 1-of-6 from 3.
Second, the Tide surprisingly had no answer for Trey Kaufman-Renn, who posed as a major matchup problem at the five. With Purdue losing Zach Edey and Alabama adding coveted transfer Clifford Omoruyi, you would think the Tide would have the advantage in the paint. But that wasn't an accurate assumption.
Finally, Alabama lives and dies by the 3, and without Chris Youngblood (a USF transfer who is out with an injury), it shot just 9-of-29 from downtown against the Boilermakers.
Regardless, I'm nitpicking here because these are all correctable issues. The tide will turn (pun intended), and it will start in this game.
Sears is averaging 17.3 points per game, despite the early season "question marks."
As for the paint, Illinois has Tomislav Ivisic, a unique player who could find his way high on NBA draft boards by the season's end, and Ben Humrichous, but I think Nate Oats puts in the proper fixes to avoid another rough game down low.
Also, this is Alabama we're talking about. Youngblood likely won't be back until December, but the shots will start falling for this club sooner rather than later.
Most importantly to this handicap, Illinois has essentially an entirely new roster, and this is that roster's first test of the season. Our expert Collin Wilson has the Fighting Illini ranked 357th in returning production, while the Tide are sitting at 205th with Sears, Grant Nelson and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. back.
The Illini have immense talent, starting with Will Riley, Kasparas Jakucionis, Ivisic and Arizona transfer Kylan Boswell. But having one returning piece — sophomore Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn — and relying heavily on two freshmen isn't a recipe for early season success against one of the nation's top teams.
Plus, the Illini have to travel to Birmingham, AL — which is less than an hour from the Tide's campus — and Alabama is coming off a loss. In turn, that could mean Brad Underwood's club is walking into a massive learning experience.
Yes, the Tide have things to work on, but no, the world isn't collapsing around it — especially with the early work of freshman Labaron Philon.
Give me Alabama by double digits in a bounce back spot.
Pick: Alabama -6.5 (Play to -8)
