BYU vs Alabama Odds & Betting Lines – Opening Spread Favors Crimson Tide in Sweet 16

By Sascha Paruk in College Basketball
Published:

- The high-octane offenses of the #6 BYU Cougars and #2 Alabama Crimson Tide will meet in the Sweet 16
- Alabama is a slight favorite but the more intriguing line is the massive game total
- Below, see the opening BYU vs Alabama odds and betting lines for the 2025 NCAA Tournament
The #6 BYU Cougars (26-9, 22-13 ATS) parlayed a pair of dominant offensive performances into a berth in the 2025 Sweet 16. Next Thursday, the Cougars will face another potent attack when they square off with the #2 Alabama Crimson Tide (27-8, 20-15 ATS) in the bottom-half of the East Region at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.
The opening BYU vs Alabama odds slightly favor the Tide and, as expected, the over/under has been set at a big number.
Opening BYU vs Alabama Odds
The BYU vs Alabama spread has been set at Alabama -3.5 with the Tide sitting at -180 on the moneyline. The Cougars come back as +150 moneyline underdogs, meaning a successful bet on BYU to win would profit $150 on a $100 wager. The game total is currently 171.5, which is the highest number we’ve seen yet in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

BYU Explodes Against VCU, Wisconsin
Despite facing two solid defense in the first and second rounds, BYU dropped 80 in their opener (an 80-71 win over #11 VCU) and then poured in 91 against a stout #3 Wisconsin team (91-89). The Badgers were averaging just 70.9 points against per game and hadn’t surrendered more than 88 all year.
While the margin against the Badgers ended at just two points, BYU was full value for the win. They took an 11-point lead into halftime and Wisconsin didn’t make it a one-possession game until the final minute.
Leading scorer Richie Saunders (16.3 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 1.6 APG) had a team-high 16 against VCU and then dropped 25 against Wisconsin. The Cougars shot 49.5% from the field in the two games, combined, while holding their opponents to just 42.1%.
Alabama Blows Past Robert Morris, Saint Mary’s
Just like the Cougars, the Tide offense was electric through the first two rounds. Many expected Mark Sears (18.8 PPG, 5.1 APG) and company to put up a big number against #15 Robert Morris (90-81). Fewer were expecting an 80-point output against the slow-paced, defensively sound #7 Saint Mary’s Gaels (80-66).
Sears had a phenomenal 22-point, 10-assist, five-rebound performance against the Colonials. He was limited to 12 points against the Gaels but was picked up by Grant Nelson’s 12-point, eight-rebound performance in his first game back from injury, and Clifford Omoruyi’s 10-point, 11-rebound double-double.
BYU vs Alabama Analytics Comparison
Both teams rate in the top ten in offensive efficiency at KenPom and considerably lower on defense. Alabama plays at the single-fastest tempo in all of Division I, while the Cougars are a far more conservative 177th. Alabama has also played the single-toughest schedule in the nation; BYU sits 46th.
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Managing Editor
Sascha has been working in the sports-betting industry since 2014, and quickly paired his strong writing skills with a burgeoning knowledge of probability and statistics. He holds an undergraduate degree in linguistics and a Juris Doctor from the University of British Columbia.