The top-seeded UConn Huskies take on the fourth-seeded Alabama Crimson Tide in the men's Final Four of the 2024 NCAA Tournament on Saturday, as we offer our best Alabama vs. UConn prediction and expert pick based on the top Final Four odds.
After breezing through last year's NCAA Tournament, the UConn Huskies (35-3) haven't missed a beat this year, sitting pretty as the top seed and the March Madness odds favorite. With an impressive 11-game winning streak, they're prepared to face the No. 4 seed Alabama Crimson Tide (25-11) in Saturday's Final Four showdown, which kicks off at 8:49 p.m. ET on TBS from State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
According to our best sports betting sites, the Huskies are 11.5-point favorites. Despite Alabama's unexpected wins over top-seeded North Carolina in the Sweet 16 and a gritty victory against sixth-seeded Clemson in the Elite Eight, it 's facing an uphill battle. Can the Crimson Tide pull off a massive upset in their debut Final Four appearance?
Along with our NC State vs. Purdue prediction and other men's Final Four expert picks, here is our best Alabama vs. UConn prediction and expert pick (odds via our best March Madness betting sites; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
For more on this game, check out our Alabama vs. UConn player props.
Alabama (4) vs. UConn (1) game info
- When: Saturday, April 6
- Tip-off: 8:49 p.m. ET
- Where: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Ariz.
- How to watch: TBS
- Favorite: UConn -11.5 (-105 via Caesars)
Alabama vs. UConn odds
Alabama vs. UConn prediction
Best odds: -105 via Caesars
For all the attention paid to UC onn's top-ranked offense, its defense has been the driving force for this year's dominant run through the NCAA Tournament. And 7-foot-2 center Donovan Clingan is a major reason why.
There's a case to be made that Clingan is the best player in this tournament, even over Purdue's Zach Edey. He's the favorite at DraftKings in the latest March Madness MVP odds, and he's already drawing comparisons to a collegiate Bill Walton with the way he erased Illinois' scoring threat inside in a truly special Elite Eight performance.
Consider that Illinois' offense, which entered that game ranked No. 1 in adjusted efficiency, scored just 52 points and suffered through a 30-0 run that effectively ended the game. It was just the latest victim to a UConn defense that has held five straight teams under 60 points and allowed 75 or more points just six times all year and once in its last 11 games.
Nate Oats' group loves to get up the floor with tempo, which is the best way to attack a team with a dominant interior defender like Clingan. Still, the Huskies are loaded with capable defenders and should be able to dictate the pace of Saturday's contest, which would effectively kill any chances of the Over cashing on this prop.
Caesars college basketball promo
Receive a 33% boost through Caesars for one college basketball bet. Click here! And don't forget to use our&nbs p;Caesars promo code.
Not intended for use in MA
Affiliate Disclosure: Sportsbook Review may receive advertising commissions for visits to a sportsbook
Alabama vs. UConn spread & Over/Under analysis
UConn has won each of its four tournament games by at least 17 points, and our best sportsbooks expect a similar showing on Saturday, pricing the Huskies between -11.5 and -12 in the days ahead of their Final Four showdown with Alabama.
Even so, the betting total is trading between 160.5 and 161.5, with BetMGM on the lower end of that range and FanDuel on the upper end. Our lean is to the full-game Under, though we'd rather target Alabama's team total and let UConn's offense operate as it may.
Alabama-UConn prediction made Thursday at 4:15 p.m. ET.
Here are our best March Madness betting sites:
- Caesars Promo Code: SBRBONUS1000 | Read our Caesars Review
- BetMGM Bonus Code: SBRBONUS | Read our Be tMGM Review
- bet365 Bonus Code: SBRBONUS | Read our bet365 Review
- BetRivers Promo Code: SBRBONUS | Read our BetRivers Review
- FanDuel Promo Code | Read our FanDuel Review
- DraftKings Promo Code | Read our DraftKings Review
(21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER)
* Bonuses not applicable in Ontario.
Related pages
- Best Live Betting Sites | Best Sportsbook Promos (U.S. only)