The No. 11 Alabama Crimson Tide (15-5, 10-1) look to bounce back from their first conference loss as they travel to face the South Carolina Gamecocks (5-7, 3-5) on Tuesday night. The SEC matchup is set for 5:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network from Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, S.C.
Alabama is -7, and they have won five straight head-to-head against South Carolina. Those wins have been by an average of eight points, and USC’s last win over the Tide came on January 30, 2016.
Tide’s Offense Looks to Get Back on Track
Alabama is 1-2 in the last three games after going six weeks without a loss. After losing at Oklahoma in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge, they started February with a 78-60 home win over LSU but lost at then No. 18 Missouri 68-65 on Saturday. The loss to Missouri was the first conference loss of the season for the Tide, but they still have a two-game lead in the loss column over the Tigers, with another four teams having four losses.
Alabama ranks ninth in the nation at 10.5 three-pointers made per game, and they make 35.5% from deep as a team. In the loss at Missouri, they actually shot better from deep (36.0%) than they did from inside the arc (31.7%) but also missed nine free throws. Alabama holds opponents to 39.9% FG shooting, 34th in the nation, and 29.6% shooting from deep, which ranks 29th.
Guard Jaden Shackelford leads Alabama’s balanced offense with 13.9 ppg while guard John Petty Jr. averages 13.1 ppg. Forward Herbert Jones leads the Tide at 6.0 rpg to go with his 11.9 ppg while shooting 48.4% from beyond the arc. Guard Jahvon Quinerly is the fourth player in double digits at 11.2 ppg.
South Carolina’s Offense Stepping Up
The Gamecocks have played the least amount of games of any SEC teams this season at 12, and their eight conference games are tied for the least amount. They are 5-7 ATS, and the over is 7-5 in their 12 games.
Last week was an up-and-down week for South Carolina as they won at No. 22 Florida 72-66 on Wednesday but then fell at home 75-69 to Mississippi State on Saturday. They are 2-2 at home in SEC action, and all four games have been decided by 16 points or more. South Carolina averaged just 68 ppg in their four non-conference games but are averaging 76.1 ppg against SEC opponents.
Guard AJ Lawson leads the team with 17.3 ppg, and forward Keyshawn Bryant is at 14.4 ppg. Guard Jermaine Couisnard is also in double figures at 11.2 ppg, while forward Justin Minaya leads the team with 6.7 rpg to go with 7.8 ppg. Lawson scored 35 points in the two games last week, while guard Seventh Woods scored a season-high 12 in the win at Florida.
Betting Line and Pick
Alabama -7. Total 154
The Gamecocks are 0-7 this season when allowing at least 75 ppg, and Alabama averages 79.1 ppg, putting them in the top 40 in the nation. Alabama has scored 85 or more in six of their last nine SEC games and should be able to feast against a Gamecocks squad that ranks 225th or worse in the nation in FG% defense, 3PT% defense, and points allowed.
BETUS FREE Pick: Alabama -7 (-110)
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