Florida at Alabama: Preview, Prediction, Odds, Where to Watch and More

Everything you need to know before the Florida Gators take on the No. 13 Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday.

Photo: Gators guard Riley Kugel; Credit: Zach Goodall

Winners of seven of their last eight contests, the Gators moved into the AP Top 25 for the first time since December 2021 on Monday.

But, as a welcome gift for joining the rankings, Florida travels into a daunting environment in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Wednesday to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide. Currently, Nate Oats and Co. sit atop the Southeastern Conference with six league games remaining on the slate and hold a 12-1 record inside Coleman Coliseum.

Both Alabama and Florida pose threats offensively, setting the expectation for a high-octane shootout in the first of two clashes between the two programs over the next 13 days.

You can find everything you need to know before the first tip-off between the two SEC foes below, including an in-depth rundown of Florida's opponent, game prediction and more.

No. 24 Florida Gators (18-7, 8-4 SEC) vs. No. 13 Alabama Crimson Tide (18-7, 10-2 SEC)

Where: Coleman Coliseum, Tuscaloosa, Ala.

When: Wednesday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. ET

Watch: ESPN2 | fuboTV (start your free trial)

Radio: Gator Sports Network from LEARFIELD | FloridaGators.com | The Varsity Network App | SiriusXM 380 & SXM App

Odds: The Gators are 8.5-point underdogs to the Crimson Tide on Wednesday, according to SI Sportsbook. The over/under for the contest is set at 174.5 points.

Series history: Florida trails Alabama 80-87 in the all-time series. In their most recent meeting on Feb. 8, 2023, the Gators fell hard to the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, 97-69.

Important stories

• Column: Gators Guard Zyon Pullin Deserves More National Recognition
• Florida Gators Hoops Cracks AP Top 25
• Gators' Second-Half Surge Pushes Florida Past Georgia, 88-82
• Florida Gators Narrowly Escape LSU Tigers, 82-80
• Gators in 'Great Spot' for March Madness Bid
• What Todd Golden Said After Florida's 81-65 Upset of No. 12 Auburn
• Gators Topple No. 12 Tigers in Dominant Fashion, 81-65
• Todd Golden "Very Excited" for Gators' Bout with Bruce Pearl, No. 12 Tigers
• Gators Climb in ESPN's Bracketology Projections Following First Q1 Win
• Florida Tripped Up by Texas A&M in College Station, 67-66
• Social Media Reacts to Florida's Upset of No. 10 Kentucky
• Walter Clayton Jr. Forces OT, Uplifts Florida to Quad-I Win vs. Kentucky
• Gators Outlast Pesky Dawgs in Overtime Thriller, 102-98
• Florida Fends Off Mississippi State's Late Comeback Efforts, Post 79-70 Win
• Florida Gators Down Missouri Tigers in Columbia, 79-67
• Column: Florida Guard Zyon Pullin Hitting Stride at the Perfect Time
• Golden: Guard Zyon Pullin Will' Raise the Level' of Gators Squad
• Denzel Aberdeen a 'Great Example' for Gators' Program Under Todd Golden
• Exclusive: Golden's Gators Striving for 'Next Step' With Reconstructed Roster

The rundown

Both squads bring elite abilities to score the basketball to the table in this contest, setting up the potential for a high-scoring affair.

The Crimson Tide are committed to an identity of playing analytically-driven, modern-day basketball on the offensive end.

Oats built his team's roster to have success off the dribble toward the cup with shooters lining the perimeter, fitting firmly into a dribble-drive offensive scheme that emphasizes exterior spacing to force opposing defenses to choose between crashing on ball handlers penetrating the lane toward the basket or taking away the three-point line.

In their most recent outing against Texas A&M, Alabama performed the style perfectly, attempting shots only at the rim or behind the arc.

Nate Oats was asked about Alabama's shot chart against Texas A&M, and he said he hadn't seen it.

"So every shot was either a 3 or inside the paint? Perfect."

The shot chart in question: pic.twitter.com/vnMmiYxQsJ

— Blake Byler (@blakebyler45) February 20, 2024

Alabama averages 90.7 points per game, the nation's highest total, and ranks No. 1 per KenPom in adjusted offensive efficiency.

Talented senior guard Mark Sears catalyzes the team-wide effort, accounting for 20.6 points per game on 51.6% from the field and 45.1% from three while adding 4.3 rebounds and four assists per contest.

He rivals Florida guard Zyon Pullin from a value, versatility and production standpoint for their respective teams.

Sears has aided the Crimson Tide to shoot 48.2% from the field and 38.5% from three on the season as a team. Rylan Griffen, Latrell Wrightshell Jr., and Sam Walters join Sears in shooting over 40% from beyond the arc with more than 60 attempts this season.

Florida has struggled to defend along the perimeter at times throughout the year, especially on the road. It will accordingly face the tall task of mitigating the damage Bama's three-ball — and offense as a whole — can cause.

"They're No. 1 offensively in the nation for a reason and a big part of that is because they're super-talented on the offensive side of the ball," Gators head coach Todd Golden said Tuesday. "It's not just the 3-point shooting. Obviously, they're efficient from 2, as well. And they play multiple guys who can dribble, pass and shoot it. It's going to be a really, really tough cover."

However, barring foul trouble, the Gators quartet of lengthy bigs — Tyrese Samuel, Micah Handlogten, Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh — present potential to force the Crimson Tide to operate further away from the basket more often than they're accustomed to.

They could also present considerable aid on the offensive end by scoring directly and on the glass to create second-chance opportunities.

The Gators' offense offers consistency and production similar to the Tide, although how it operates includes attacking all three levels.

Pullin and backcourt mate Walter Clayton Jr. have found vast success working in the midrange — especially of late — to open more driving lanes and three-point looks for other members of Florida's roster during the team's recent surge.

Like UF, Alabama, at No. 72 in adjusted defensive efficiency, has struggled to defend opposing scoring attacks that present the firepower to go blow for blow with them. It's allowed 90+ points in two of their last three games — albeit both on the road. 

The Gators present the ability to do so, averaging 84.8 points per game on average, making the two-game series between the programs in 2023-24 an intriguing clash to monitor.

Brandon's Prediction (15-5): Alabama 94, Florida 90

The Gators have made considerable strides of late to catapult themselves firmly into the 2023-24 campaign tournament field.

They're widely projected as a seven seed and have an opportunity to improve their standing further for March against a contender in No. 13 Alabama. 

A win in Tuscaloosa would send a resounding statement regarding UF's legitimacy. It would no longer be a sleeper team with the potential to reel off a good run in the tournament. Instead, the Gators would immediately be considered a viable competitor to make their way into the second or third weekend.

As a result, I expect Golden and Co. to come out of the gates swinging in Coleman Coliseum, knocking down shots early and forcing early stops to instill confidence early.

However, Alabama's form at home is arguably the best of any team in the country. Despite the significant advancements I believe Florida will display against a high-caliber opponent on the road, the Crimson Tide's shooting prowess inside their home gym proves too much for the Gators to overcome.

UF keeps it close until the end, but Alabama knocks down 10+ threes to edge out the Gators from claiming the most significant victory the program has seen under Golden.

Bama bests Florida in a shootout, 94-90. 

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