Ole Miss Rebels vs Alabama Crimson Tide – SEC Preview – Jan 14, 2025

The No. 21 Ole Miss Rebels travel to Tuscaloosa to face the No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide in a key SEC matchup at Coleman Coliseum on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, at 7:00 PM ET. Both teams come in with identical 14-2 records, making this a pivotal early-season contest in the conference race.
Alabama has won eight straight games, including a high-scoring 94-88 victory over Texas A&M in their last outing. Ole Miss, meanwhile, has started conference play 3-0 for the first time since 2018-19 and is coming off a 77-65 win over LSU.
Ole Miss Preview – Looking to Stay Hot
The Rebels are on a roll, thanks to strong team play and balanced scoring. Malik Dia led the way against LSU with 19 points and seven rebounds, marking his second straight game as the team’s top scorer. Ole Miss is shooting 45.4% from the field this season and has a solid 9-0 home record, though they will be tested on the road in Tuscaloosa.
Coach Chris Beard has been impressed with freshman Eduardo Klafke, who has been a sharpshooter off the bench. Klafke is hitting 61.1% from beyond the arc and is a player to watch in this matchup. Defensively, Ole Miss has held opponents to 40.8% shooting, which will be key against Alabama’s high-powered offense.
Ole Miss will need to limit turnovers and control the boards to keep pace with Alabama. They rank 258th nationally in rebounding, which could be a weakness against the Crimson Tide’s size and physicality.
Alabama Preview – Defending Home Court
Alabama remains undefeated in SEC play and has not lost at home this season. The Crimson Tide are coming off a statement win against Texas A&M, where they scored 94 points, the most ever by an Alabama team in College Station. Mark Sears was the star of the game, scoring 27 points, including nine free throws in crunch time.
Sears leads the team with 19.1 points per game, while Grant Nelson adds 12.2 points and 8.6 rebounds. Alabama’s offense averages 79.0 points per game and has been efficient from the foul line, hitting 73% of their attempts. They’ve also been strong defensively, holding opponents to 28.4% shooting from three-point range, ranking 26th in the nation.
Coach Nate Oats emphasized the importance of winning games like this to compete for an SEC title. Alabama’s depth and experience at home make them a tough opponent for any team.
Betting Prediction
Alabama is an 11.5-point favorite, with the total set at 164.5. The Crimson Tide’s high-scoring offense and home-court advantage make them the likely winner, but Ole Miss’ defensive ability could keep the game closer than the spread suggests. Look for Alabama to win outright but for Ole Miss to cover the spread in a competitive game.
The predicted final score is Alabama 83, Ole Miss 75. Consider taking Ole Miss to cover and the total to go under 164.5.
Pick: Ole Miss +11.5, Under 164.5