9:05 pm
November 9

Louisiana Tech @ #14 Alabama

Who will WIN this matchup?

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (0-0)

@ #14 Alabama Crimson Tide (0-0)

 

Current odds:

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs: (+475)

Alabama Crimson Tide: (-700)

 

• The spread for the game is Alabama by 11.5 points.

• The No. 14 Crimson Tide rallied past Louisiana for a 73-68 win in a home charity contest, but the games start counting for real on Tuesday. Oats’ squad opens the 2021-22 season hosting another school from the bayou area – Louisiana Tech – and the Southeastern Conference team has high expectations. Alabama had its best season in 35 years last year.

• Last year, Oats led the Tuscaloosa school to its best record since the 1986-87 season — the Tide rolled to a 28-5 mark then and lost in an NCAA regional semifinal — and left an indelible impression along the way. The team posted a 26-7 overall record, went 16-2 in SEC play, secured the conference’s regular-season and tournament titles and ended up ranked No. 5 – matched its highest ranking ever to end a campaign. But Oats lost SEC Player of the Year Herb Jones and Josh Primo among others. Alabama added strong talent that should help right away.

• The Bulldogs were victorious in their own exhibition, beating visiting Mississippi College 86-50 behind a strong performance by Kenneth Lofton Jr. Coach Eric Konkol will ride the powerful Lofton – a 6-foot-7, 275-pound forward – who was the Conference USA Freshman of the Year and Third Team All-Conference-USA.

• In his first season, the Port Arthur, Tex., native scored a team-high 387 points (12.1 points per game) and led the team in double-digit production in points (22 games). Lofton – who is not the son of the former Major League Baseball outfielder – played guard before a late growth spurt.

7/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
#14 Alabama Crimson Tide
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