San Diego State vs Alabama Basketball Prediction & Picks: Best Bets for Aztecs vs Crimson Tide

Will SDSU reach uncharted territory tonight, or will Alabama go where they have gone only once before? The first South Regional semifinal sees fifth-seeded SDSU take on the tournament's #1 overall seed at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky (6:30 pm ET, TBS).

The Aztecs (29-6) are looking to reach the Elite Eight for the first time in program history, while the Crimson Tide (31-5) are looking to advance to a regional final for just the second time, with their previous appearance coming in 2004.

Who will move on to face either Xavier or Texas on Sunday? Read on for our San Diego State vs Alabama prediction and picks.

Looking for More College Basketball Picks?

Over the next few couple of weeks, we will have predictions and picks for men's and women's March Madness, as well as the NIT.

• Miami vs Houston Prediction & Picks (Midwest Regional Semifinal)

And if you are interested in checking out picks for the games we don't cover, there are a number of reputable sports handicapping services that we recommend.

One of those sources is Doc's Sports, which has a great offer going right now.

Doc's Sports offers a lot of free picks and content, but they also offer $60 worth of premium sports picks free for new premium signups.

SDSU vs Alabama Odds

Odds are via BetOnline as of Friday, March 24, 2023.

Spread

• San Diego State +7.5 (-112)
• Alabama -7.5 (-108)

Over/Under

• Over 137.5 (-110)
• Under 137.5 (-110)

Moneyline

• San Diego State +260
• Alabama -330

Can SDSU Lean on Defense to Deny Alabama?

A big reason that the Aztecs swept the Mountain West regular season and tournament titles, have won 29 games, and are in the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2014 is unlocking a new level on offense.

Last year, San Diego State ranked 167th in adjusted offensive efficiency at KenPom. This year, they rank 71st. And in their second-round win over Furman, the Aztecs hit the 75-point mark for the 12th time this season, five more times than they did last season.

But defense is still very much a key part of SDSU's gameplan, as evidenced by the fact that they rank sixth in adjusted defensive efficiency. Of the teams still in the tournament after Thursday night's action, only Alabama (third) and Houston (fourth) rank higher.

As the season has progressed, SDSU has leaned more and more on their defense, and that has reflected in over/under results.

In their first 21 games against Division I opposition this season, the over was 13-8-0. But the under is 12-1-0 in their last 13 games and has hit in ten straight games entering tonight's contest.

In those first 21 games against Division I opposition, the Aztecs allowed fewer than 65 points only eight times. But in their last 13 games, they have allowed fewer than 65 points ten times, and they haven't allowed more than 61 in their last six games.

Can they keep this up against a team that has been held below 70 points only six times this season?

Here are the defensive efficiency rankings for those six teams:

• South Alabama: 84th (2nd in the Sun Belt)
• UConn: 13th
• Mississippi State: 9th
• Oklahoma: 47th
• Tennessee: 1st
• Texas A&M: 44th

So, it certainly can be done. If SDSU can manage to even hold them under 75 points–which has been done only ten times this season–that bodes well for the under, which is 8-2-0 when Alabama has been held under 75 points this season.

SDSU vs Alabama Prediction and Picks

Prediction for San Diego State vs Alabama: Alabama to win

Pick for San Diego State vs Alabama: SDSU/Alabama under 137.5 & SDSU +7.5 (Best Value: Bovada Sportsbook & BetMGM)

I don't think San Diego State is going to want to get into a game where they have to score 75 or more points to win, but will they be able to limit the Crimson Tide?

It should be noted that Alabama shot only 39.7% (23 of 58) from the field against Maryland, including 28.6% (6 of 21) from three. And the Terps aren't on the same level defensively as SDSU is.

Whether or not the Aztecs can generate enough offense to pull the upset remains to be seen, but I look for this one to go under and fall in line with the percentages for the tournament (36-20-0 in favor of unders), which took a little dent with three of last night's four games going over.

Where to Bet on San Diego State vs Alabama

Here are four legal sports betting sites that we highly recommend and have reviewed, where you can bet on this year's NCAA men's and women's tournaments, as well as the 2023 NIT.

March is always a very popular time to bet on college basketball, and you can get in on the action at any of the top sports betting sites out there.

But these four books are all reputable names, and you can trust them with your betting funds.

Other March Madness Content at Betting News

If you'd like to check out our other NIT and March Madness betting content, here's a rundown of what we have put together to help you with your college basketball betting until the season wraps up in Houston on April 3.

• NIT Bracket & Odds
• Men's March Madness Bracket
• March Madness Odds
• Women's March Madness Bracket & Odds
• Final Four Odds
• March Madness Sleepers
• March Madness Betting Trends & Stats to Know for 2023
• Where to Find the Best March Madness Betting Picks
• Best March Madness Betting Sites
• Best March Madness Bracket Challenges
• Betting News Bracket Mania (Our FREE March Madness Bracket Challenge! – CLOSED but you can look at the standings and entries)