ESPN predicts the winner of Saturday’s huge Alabama vs. Kentucky Top 25 clash

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The No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide are in a bit of unchartered territory heading into the weekend.

Nate Oats’ team is coming off back-to-back losses for the first time all season after falling 94-85 in last week’s No. 1 vs. No. 2 Iron Bowl of Basketball clash against the Auburn Tigers. Alabama (21-5 overall, 10-3 SEC) didn’t respond well on Wednesday night at No. 15 Missouri, committing 10 first-half turnovers and getting off to a poor start in a 110-98 loss in Columbia.

Mark Sears had a season-high 35 points in the loss, but the 110 points allowed by the Crimson Tide were the most this season.

Up next for Alabama is a rematch with Mark Pope’s Kentucky Wildcats (18-8, 7-6), who the Tide defeated 102-97 at Rupp Arena back on Jan. 18 when the ‘Cats were ranked No. 8. Kentucky, ranked No. 21 in this week’s USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll and No. 17 in the AP poll, has won three of its past four games, including Wednesday’s impressive 82-61 blowout victory over Vanderbilt.

Ahead of Saturday’s Top 25 showdown at Coleman Coliseum, ESPN Analytics’ matchup predictor, which offers a prediction model based on its Men’s College Basketball Power Index ratings, gave the Crimson Tide strong odds of beating Kentucky: 70.4 percent to the Wildcats’ 29.6 percent.

ESPN defines its BPI ratings as a “measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of performance going forward. BPI represents how many points above or below average a team is.”

Alabama slipped three spots to No. 8 in ESPN’s BPI metrics (18.7) while Kentucky rose two spots to No. 15 (16.6). In the NET rankings, the Crimson Tide remain No. 6 while Kentucky is No. 14.

Tipoff for Alabama vs. Kentucky is scheduled for 5 p.m. CT Saturday. The game will be televised on ESPN.

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/article/espn-predicts-winner-saturdays-huge-185300539.html

Author : Roll Tide Wire

Publish date : 2025-02-21 18:53:00

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