Missouri at Alabama: 2023-24 college basketball game preview, TV schedule

Missouri remains winless in SEC play and hopes to get its first win this week against Alabama. Can the Tigers get the upset?

TV Schedule: Tuesday, January 16, 7:00 pm ET (SECN)
Location: Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, Alabama

The disappointing season continues for Missouri (8-8), as they dropped to 0-3 in SEC play on Saturday afternoon in a 71-69 overtime loss to South Carolina. The Tigers led most of the second half but couldn’t put the game away. Some poorly times missed free throws down the stretch cost Missouri the win. Noah Carter led all scorers with 23 points in the loss.

The Tigers will have another opportunity to pick up their first conference win on Tuesday when they make the trip to Tuscaloosa and take on Alabama. Missouri’s all-time record against the Crimson Tide is 7-14, losing the last three matchups. Mizzou hasn’t beaten them on the road since the 2017-18 season.

Missouri enters the game on a three-game losing streak. The Tigers haven’t shot the ball well in conference play, making 43 percent from the floor and 27.5 percent from three. Noah Carter has taken over as Missouri’s leading scorer since SEC play started, averaging 18.7 points in the past three games. Over those same games, Sean East II is averaging 17.3 points while Tamar Bates is adding 15 points.

Defensively the Tigers continue to struggle, allowing nearly 79 points per game to conference opponents. Missouri is dead last in SEC play in opponent 2-point field goal percentage, allowing their opponents to make nearly 55 percent of those shots. The Tigers also rank 14th in rebounding during conference play, only grabbing 26.3 rebounds per game.

Alabama (11-5), on the other hand, has been playing well. After losing three straight to Top 10 teams, the Crimson Tide have rattled off five consecutive wins including a 3-0 start to SEC play. In their most recent game, Alabama took down Mississippi State, winning by eight points in Starkville, holding the Bulldogs scoreless over the last 2:42 of the game. Mark Sears led all scorers with 22 points.

In conference play, Alabama is averaging 78 points per game and making nearly 47 percent from the field. The Crimson Tide leads the SEC in three-pointers made with over 12 per game and in three-point percentage, with 40.2 percent from deep. Mark Sears has upped his game ever since conference play started. He is averaging nearly 25 points per game making 61.1 percent from three. Rylan Griffen is adding 12.7 points per game during conference play.

Alabama is a nightmare matchup for Missouri. They have the personnel to take advantage of all of Mizzou’s weaknesses. The Crimson Tide has a lot of length and rebounds the ball well. On the season, Alabama is averaging nearly 40 rebounds per game, dropping to 33 per game in SEC play. They are also very efficient when it comes to scoring the ball. The Crimson Tide are making nearly 55 percent of their shots from inside the three-point arc and just over 40 percent from three in conference play.

I don’t think Missouri can hang with this Alabama offense. The Tigers aren’t consistent enough on the offensive side to go shot-for-shot with them. On the defensive end, Missouri hasn’t proved they can stop anyone from scoring. This is a recipe for defeat, especially on the road.

I think Missouri’s disappointing season continues and Alabama walks away with a fairly easy win on their home court. The Tigers still have a lot to figure out if they want to be competitive for the remainder of the season.