Halftime Report
Only one more half stands between Alabama and the win they were favored to collect coming into this evening. They have jumped out to a quick 37-31 lead against Creighton.
Alabama came into the match with some extra motivation after the loss they were dealt the last time these two teams faced off. We'll see if they're able to flip the script or if it'll just be more of the same.
Who's Playing
Creighton Bluejays @ Alabama Crimson Tide
Current Records: Creighton 7-3, Alabama 7-2
How To Watch
- When: Saturday, December 14, 2024 at 8:30 p.m. ET
- Where: Coleman Coliseum -- Tuscaloosa, Alabama
- TV: SEC Network
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $40.00
What to Know
After six games on the road, Alabama is heading back home. They will welcome the Creighton Bluejays at 8:30 p.m. ET on Saturday at Coleman Coliseum. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, the two teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Alabama will face Creighton after failing to hit the over/under the oddsmakers set for them last Wednesday which, to be fair, was an imposing 176.5 points. Alabama enjoyed a cozy 94-79 win over N. Carolina.
Alabama's success was spearheaded by the efforts of Labaron Philon, who went 7 for 12 en route to 15 points plus three steals, and Mark Sears, who posted 20 points along with seven assists and two steals. That's the most assists Sears has posted since back in February. Another player making a difference was Clifford Omoruyi, who scored 11 points along with five rebounds and two blocks.
Meanwhile, Creighton waltzed into their match on Saturday with two straight wins... but they left with three. They took down the Rebels 83-65.
Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead Creighton to victory, but perhaps none more so than Jamiya Neal, who almost dropped a triple-double on 19 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists. Neal had some trouble finding his footing against Kansas last Wednesday, so this was a step in the right direction. Steven Ashworth was another key player, going 6 for 10 en route to 17 points plus seven assists.
Creighton was working as a unit and finished the game with 20 assists. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as UNLV only posted seven.
Alabama is on a roll lately: they've won four of their last five contests, which provided a nice bump to their 7-2 record this season. As for Creighton, their victory bumped their record up to 7-3.
Saturday's game is shaping up to be a masterclass in shooting: Alabama has been crazy accurate this season, having made 47.3% of their field goals per game. However, it's not like Creighton struggles in that department as they've made 47.2% of their field goals this season. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Not only did both teams in this Saturday's matchup win their last matches, they also took care of their bettors and covered the spread. Looking forward, Alabama is the favorite in this one, as the experts expect to see them win by 11.5 points. This will be Creighton's first time playing on the road this season.
Odds
Alabama is a big 11.5-point favorite against Creighton, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The line has drifted a bit towards the Crimson Tide, as the game opened with the Crimson Tide as a 9.5-point favorite.
The oddsmakers are expecting fireworks from the offense and set the over/under at a high 163.5 points.
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Series History
Creighton has won both of the games they've played against Alabama in the last 8 years.
- Dec 16, 2023 - Creighton 85 vs. Alabama 82
- Mar 15, 2016 - Creighton 72 vs. Alabama 54