Alabama Crimson Tide vs Oklahoma Sooners Picks and Predictions January 4th 2025

No. 12 Oklahoma Brings 13-0 Mark into Clash at No. 5 Alabama

No. 12 Oklahoma faces its toughest test of the season on Saturday when it travels to Tuscaloosa to take on No. 5 Alabama in a marquee Southeastern Conference opener for both teams.

SEC Showdown Kicks Off a Grueling Schedule

The game marks the beginning of an 18-game SEC slate, a gauntlet packed with challenges. The conference boasts 10 teams in the AP Top 25, including five in the Top 10. Oklahoma coach Porter Moser emphasized the difficulty of the schedule and its implications for postseason play.

“The SEC is the best league in the country,” Moser said. “Every night in the SEC is going to be an elite Quad 1 game. We have 16 Quad 1 and two Quad 2 games left. Come on, who else has that?”

Oklahoma’s Perfect Start

The Sooners (13-0) enter Saturday’s matchup with momentum after an 89-67 victory over Prairie View A&M last Sunday. Jalon Moore led the way with 22 points, while Jeremiah Fears added 19 and Duke Miles chipped in 17.

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Fears, named SEC Freshman of the Week on Dec. 23, leads the team in scoring at 18.1 points per game. His confidence has grown alongside the Sooners’ unblemished start.

“We did a great job of coming together and believing in each other,” Fears said. “We got this far, so why not just put our head down and keep working hard?”

Alabama’s Depth Shines

The Crimson Tide (11-2) are coming off a dominant 105-82 win over South Dakota State, powered by reserve guard Aden Holloway’s career-high 26 points. Holloway, a former McDonald’s All American who transferred from Auburn, hit 8-of-19 from 3-point range in extended minutes due to injuries and illness sidelining teammates Derrion Reid and Houston Mallette.

“It’s a little easier to make eight 3-pointers when you shoot 19,” Alabama coach Nate Oats said. “It helped him get in some rhythm.”

Alabama’s balanced attack is led by Mark Sears, who averages 18.0 points per game. Grant Nelson contributes 13.2 points and a team-high 8.6 rebounds per game. The defending SEC Tournament champions are focused on protecting their home floor as they begin their quest for another conference title.

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“If you want any chance of winning the SEC, you’ve got to protect your home floor,” Oats said.

Key Matchups and High Stakes

Saturday’s game pits Oklahoma’s strong start against Alabama’s depth and experience in what promises to be a high-stakes showdown. The Sooners’ Jeremiah Fears and the Crimson Tide’s Mark Sears headline an exciting backcourt matchup, while the return of Derrion Reid could bolster Alabama’s inside presence.

As both teams vie to set the tone for a grueling conference schedule, this clash will test their resilience and provide an early glimpse of their postseason potential.