The Alabama Crimson Tide look to end a two-game losing streak on Saturday when they host SEC rival Kentucky. The Crimson Tide are 9.5-point home favorites on the betting odds at DraftKings Sportsbook with the total sitting at a wild 180.5 points.

The total is that high for a reason. The last time these two teams met on Jan. 18, Alabama won on the road 102-97. These are two of the highest-scoring teams teams in college basketball and both play at a fast pace.

Read our best bets for Saturday’s crucial SEC battle below.

Kentucky vs. Alabama predictions and picks

• Alabama team total over 93.5 points (-102 odds at DraftKings Sportsbook)
• Grant Nelson over 12.5 points (-106 at FanDuel Sportsbook)

Note: Odds are based on the best value our experts find as of publication; check lines closer to game time to ensure you get the best odds.

It’s a new day in college basketball when team totals are not only over 90 points, but the bet to make is the over. That’s the reality here though with Alabama facing Kentucky’s defense.

The Crimson Tide scored 102 in the first matchup thanks in large part to converting 29-of-34 attempts from the foul line. I expect a repeat performance on Saturday in the rematch.

Alabama gets to the free throw line a lot and it was obvious in the first matchup that Kentucky’s defense couldn’t stop Mark Sears and the Crimson Tide guards when they drove to the basket. The result usually ended in two points or a foul.

This is a big total but Alabama has scored 85 or more points in 12 of its last 14 games. They should have little trouble hitting 90 against a Kentucky team that ranks 242nd in two-point field goal percentage defense.

The other bet to make is Grant Nelson over 12.5 points. While that number falls right on his average, Nelson dominated Kentucky in the first meeting with 25 points. He also went 9-of-10 from the free throw line.

The thing that makes Nelson so dangerous in this matchup is converting offensive rebounds into points and being the beneficiary of Sears driving to the basket. Sears had nine assists in the first meeting. Look for him to once again hurt the Wildcats off the dribble.

Nelson runs hot and cold in the scoring department but he tends to exploit favorable matchups. He has a favorable matchup on Saturday.

Kentucky vs. Alabama moneyline odds analysis

Why Alabama could win as the favorite

Best odds: -450 at FanDuel Sportsbook

This is Alabama’s kind of game. Both teams like to play fast and the Crimson Tide are at its best running and gunning for 40 minutes. Not many teams run with Alabama all game long and live to tell about it.

It’s also a great spot for the Crimson Tide coming off two losses. Alabama is going to be razor focused on Saturday to stop its two-game losing streak and they have the perfect matchup to do it. Kentucky simply allows too many easy baskets and like we saw in the first meeting, the Wildcats will need to outscore Alabama to win. That’s not an easy task.

Finally, Kentucky enters this game short-handed without starting guards Lamont Butler and Jaxon Robinson because of injuries. Both players were ruled out on Friday.

The Wildcats are deep but not having Butler and Robinson against a team the caliber of Alabama might be too much to overcome.

Why Kentucky could win as the underdog

Best odds: +390 at DraftKings Sportsbook

Kentucky has a puncher’s chance in this game because of Alabama’s shaky defense. The Wildcats did score 97 in the first meeting, although they were at full strength for that game.

The Crimson Tide were never going to be mistaken for a great defensive team, although the last two games have been particularly alarming. Alabama allowed 204 points in losses to Auburn and Missouri. Against Missouri, Alabama shot 64.7 percent from two-point range…and lost by 16.

The Wildcats’ road to a win in this matchup is two-fold. First, Kentucky needs Alabama to be ice cold from three-point range. We know the Crimson Tide will keep shooting threes even if they aren’t falling like we saw against Auburn when Alabama went 5-of-26 (19.2 percent) from deep.

The other path to victory for the Wildcats is their defense must play better than Alabama. It’s doubtful Kentucky will outscore the Tide minus two key players but if they can get some stops on the defensive end and force 10+ turnovers, they have a chance.