Alabama Crimson Tide vs Florida Gators Picks and Predictions March 5th 2025

High Stakes in Play as No. 5 Florida Visits No. 7 Alabama

The SEC regular season is nearing its end, and the race for the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament is wide open. That sets the stage for a massive showdown on Wednesday night in Tuscaloosa, where No. 5 Florida takes on No. 7 Alabama.

The stakes couldn’t be higher.

Both teams are tied for second place in the SEC standings at 12-4 with two games left. A win here would give one of them the inside track on the No. 2 seed in the SEC Tournament, and perhaps even a shot at a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Florida head coach Todd Golden knows exactly what’s on the line.

“We have a chance to go into Tuscaloosa on Wednesday and if we win that game, then we’re in the driver’s seat to get second place,” Golden said. “So we have a lot on the line left.”

Alabama Looking to Rebound After Crushing Loss

Alabama was in the driver’s seat for the No. 2 seed until Saturday, when they suffered a heartbreaking 79-76 loss at then-No. 5 Tennessee.

The Crimson Tide led by four with 36 seconds left but failed to close it out, allowing Tennessee’s Jahmai Mashack to hit a stunning buzzer-beater to complete the comeback.

Head coach Nate Oats took full responsibility for the loss.

“I feel like I failed these guys,” Oats said. “For 39 and a half minutes, they outplayed them.”

The game’s finish highlighted Alabama’s late-game struggles, as they failed to score in the final 36 seconds.

“We probably could have had better guys in, been a little smaller with 3.8 (seconds) on the clock to make sure they didn’t get the ball up the floor,” Oats said. “We work on end-of-game situations in practice and expect our players to be good at them, and I was not good for the last 30 seconds.”

The Crimson Tide have now lost three of their last five after previously winning seven straight.

Mark Sears Leading Alabama’s Attack

Despite the recent losses, Mark Sears has remained red-hot.

The senior scored 24 points against Tennessee, continuing a stretch where he’s averaged 27.5 points over his last four games.

Sears has been dangerous from deep, hitting 17-of-40 three-pointers during that span.

Overall, Sears has drained 74 three-pointers this season, leading Alabama’s perimeter-heavy attack.

Aden Holloway (12.0 PPG) is right behind him with 71 made threes, while Chris Youngblood (11.8 PPG) has also been a reliable shooter.

Youngblood will look to bounce back after scoring just two points against Tennessee. That performance came just days after he scored a season-high 27 points and hit seven threes in a blowout win over Mississippi State.

Florida is Peaking at the Right Time

While Alabama is looking to regain its momentum, Florida is playing some of its best basketball of the season.

The Gators dominated then-No. 12 Texas A&M 89-70 on Saturday, extending their stretch of 10 wins in their last 12 games.

Will Richard (25 points, six three-pointers) led the way, continuing his recent surge. Over his last two games, Richard is averaging 27.5 points, shooting 20-of-30 from the field and 11-of-20 from three-point range.

“We just did a great job staying aggressive,” Richard said. “(Alex) Condon did a great job making passes and plays, and I just hit open looks.”

Richard (13.0 PPG) ranks third on Florida in scoring, trailing only Walter Clayton Jr. (16.9 PPG) and Alijah Martin (14.7 PPG).

Clayton leads the team in three-pointers made with 77, followed by Martin (63) and Richard (61), giving Florida a dangerous perimeter trio.

Recent History Favors Florida

Florida won both meetings against Alabama last season.

• The Gators blew out the Crimson Tide 105-87 at home late in the regular season.
• Ten days later, Florida dominated Alabama again, winning 102-88 in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals.

Now, Alabama has a chance for revenge on its home floor, with both teams playing for a top tournament seed.

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What’s at Stake?

• For Florida: A win puts the Gators in prime position for the SEC’s No. 2 seed and keeps their NCAA Tournament No. 1 seed hopes alive.
• For Alabama: The Crimson Tide need to bounce back after their crushing loss to Tennessee and protect home court before Saturday’s season finale at No. 1 Auburn.

With major conference and NCAA Tournament implications on the line, expect an electric atmosphere in Tuscaloosa as two of the nation’s top teams battle for SEC supremacy.