Alabama vs Oklahoma Prediction and Preview

The Alabama Crimson Tide is beginning the 2025 new year with the start of SEC play and hosting the Oklahoma Sooners. Read more for a full Alabama vs Oklahoma prediction and preview.

Alabama basketball is coming off one of its best offensive performances in its last time out against South Dakota State in a 105-82 victory to close out the non-conference slate. The gauntlet begins, known as SEC play in which 10 teams are currently ranked in the AP poll and welcomes the 12th-ranked Sooners inside Coleman Coliseum to open up conference play. Oklahoma has owned Alabama with a 7-3 record, defeating the Tide 93-69 in 2023 in its last matchup. 

“If you’re gonna win the conference you gotta win your home games,” said head coach Nate Oats.

Game Information:

Teams: Alabama (11-2) and Oklahoma (13-0)

Tip-Off: 5 p.m. CST (6 p.m. EST)

Where to Watch: SEC Network

How to Listen: Tide 100.9

Latest on Oklahoma basketball:

Oklahoma Sooners are off to their best start at 13-0 since it started 12-0 in the 2015-16 season in which the Sooners reached the Final Four that year. Fourth-year head coach Porter Moser needed this start, as the seat was heating up. 

So far this season, Oklahoma in the non conference slate, with its biggest win so far on a neutral floor with marquee wins over Michigan in December, 87-86, and against Arizona in November 82-77.  In its last time out, the Sooners defeated Prairie View in an 89-67 win where Birmingham native Jalon Moore led the team with 22 points shooting 7-10 from the field, Fears with 19 points on 7-11 shooting, and Montgomery native Duke Miles with 17 points on 4-6 shooting. 

So far this season, highly touted Freshman out of high school Jeremiah Fears, who has been getting tons of lottery draft hype, leads the Sooners in points at 18.1 PPG and in the assists category at 4.5 APG. Sam Godwin leads the Sooners in rebounding at 6.7 RPG. Another familiar face for Tide fans is getting minutes for the Sooners in Mohamed Wague, who was on the Final Four roster just a season ago. 

Per KenPom, the Sooners are ranked 27th in offensive efficiency numbers and just outside the top 60  at 65th in defensive efficiency. The team is the 10th-ranked team in its conference in the rankings by the numbers. The team averages around 83.1 PPG and shoots 36.7% from the three-point line.

Last year, the Sooners were 20-12 (8-10 in conference play), ending its season in the Big 12 conference tournament and missing out on the NCAA Tournament. 

Latest on Alabama basketball:

Alabama is coming off a game in which the team had a season-low in turnovers at 6. Multiple guys had 20+ points games where Aden Holloway led the way with 26 points knocking down eight threes.

Alabama closed out the non-conference at 11-2 in a much better spot where it was just a season ago at this time last year and has proven thus far it can play with anybody in the country. So far, the team has been battle-tested, and with the team entering into the deepest SEC has ever been will not be fazed after being battle-tested in a majority of its games.

Alabama, who played only nine guys last time out, with Houston Mallette missing the game due to illness and Derrion Reid suffering an ankle injury in practice.  Reid is expected for the matchup.

Sears continues to lead the team in scoring and is up to 18.0 PPG on the season thus far. Grant Nelson continues to be a force around the glass in the rebounding department and leads the team in averaging 8.6 RPG. Sears leads the team in assists at 4.0 APG, whereas the team averages 16.8 APG.

Per KenPom, Alabama is in the top 10 in offensive efficiency at 7 and trending upward defensively, with an efficiency ranking of 42, which is up 15 spots from the last game. Alabama is averaging 89.9 PPG while shooting 31.6% from three.

Alabama vs Oklahoma prediction: Crimson Tide by 12

Alabama and Oklahoma will be a grind-it-out type of game, but. I think the Tide go on a run late and pull away winning 77-65.