Alabama vs Kent State Prediction and Preview

The Alabama Crimson Tide return home after a one game road trip and begin a three game home stand welcoming in Kent State. Read more for a full Alabama vs Kent State prediction and preview.

Alabama Basketball is coming off a game where the team seemed to lack intensity and effort in the full 40-minute contest on Wednesday at North Dakota, but it got the job done when it mattered 97-90. The team will now welcome in the Kent State Golden Eagles out of the MAC, who were picked to finish third in the conference in the preseason, a conference Alabama head coach Nate Oats is very familiar with.

“We’re gonna have to do our best to make sure we are ready to go, because they will be ready to go, and they play hard, and they are a very good mid-major team,” said Oats on Kent State.

Game Information:

Teams: Alabama (9-2) and Kent State (8-2)

Tip-Off: 1:00 p.m. EST (noon CST)

Where to Watch: SEC Network

How to Listen: Tide 100.9

Latest on Kent State Basketball:

Kent State has gotten off to another good start to the season under head coach Rob Senderoff, who is in his 14th season at the helm.

So far this season, Kent State has started out 8-2 in the non conference slate, with its biggest win so far on the road against Kennesaw State, 67-60. In its last time out, the Golden Eagles defeated Mercyhurst 82-57  where VonCameron Davis had 17 points on 5-9 shooting. Kent State had four guys with double-figures, along with Davis, in a game where it dominated from the jump.

The leading scorer so far this season is Davis, averaging 14.9 PPG. Cli’Ron Hornbeak leads the team in rebounding, averaging 6.7 RPG. Cian Medley leads the team in assists, averaging 3.4 APG.

Per KenPom, the Golden Eagles are ranked 217th by offensive efficiency numbers and just outside the top 60 at 62 defensive efficiency. The team is averaging around 69.7 PPG and shooting 30.5% from the three-point line.

Last year, the Golden Eagles were 17-17 (8-10 in conference play).

Latest on Alabama basketball:

Alabama is coming off a game where Grant Nelson led the way in a return home with 23 points 10 rebounds double-double, on 9-14 shooting from the field. The Tide had five guys in double-figures, along with Nelson with Mark Sears, Houston Mallette, Chris Youngblood, and Labaron Philon, who started the game on the bench.

Alabama continues to play a deep lineup, with all 11 active scholarship guys continuing to get minutes, and Oats will continue to shrink the lineup before SEC starts in two weeks.

“Some guys that don’t want to guard aren’t going to play very much anymore,” said Oats on the defensive struggles.

Sears continues to lead the team in scoring, has been getting on a roll these past couple games and now averages 18 PPG. Nelson leads the team in the rebounding, averaging 8.2 RPG. Sears leads the team in assists with 4.1 APG.

Per KenPom, Alabama is top 10 in offensive efficiency at 6 and trending in the wrong direction defensively, with an efficiency ranked 57. Alabama is averaging 89.4 PPG, while shooting 31.8% from three.

Alabama vs Kent State prediction: Crimson Tide by 14