Notre Dame vs Alabama Picks and Odds

• Off for more than a week, Alabama battles First Four-winner Notre Dame on Friday afternoon in San Diego (4:15 pm ET)
• Neither team is coming in having played very well down the stretch
• See the Alabama vs Notre Dame odds and how to wager on Friday’s NCAA Tournament tussle

When Nate Oates took over the Crimson Tide program, Alabama (19-13, 11-21 against the spread) had been to the NCAA Tournament one time over a seven year span. His first season in Tuscaloosa they probably were on the wrong side of the bubble before COVID-19 cancelled the Big Dance. Last year the Tide went to their first Sweet 16 since 2004. The March Madness bracket has ‘Bama as a six-seed this year facing play-in game winner Notre Dame (23-10, 18-15 ATS).

March Madness game odds typically get set immediately after Selection Sunday, and therefore by the time tip arrives the lines are pretty tight. With the play-in-game not ending until after midnight early Thursday morning, this is the type of number and total that an astute bettor should look at closely.

Let’s carefully break down the Tide and Irish.

Alabama vs Notre Dame Odds

Odds as of March 17 at Barstool Sportsbook.

The Crimson Tide opened up as a 4-point favorite, in a contest that has a total of 152.5. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:15pm ET at Viejas Arena in San Diego. TNT has television coverage.

Alabama Crimson Tide Betting Analysis

Playing one of the most difficult schedule’s in the country this year, Alabama went 9-3 before conference action began. The three setbacks came against two NCAA Tournament teams, Davidson and Memphis, plus Rick Pitino’s Iona Gaels, who won 25 games and finished three games ahead of the field in the MAAC regular season standings. Then in the midst of the league season, they beat Baylor in a high profile non-conference tilt.

The Crimson Tide had a bumpy SEC campaign. They beat Tennessee and LSU, but lost to Georgia and Missouri. Their stay in Tampa during the league tournament was short. Alabama was sent home by Vanderbilt in their first game.

When Alabama is good, they are really good. Not only have they beaten some of the best teams in the NCAA, but the Tide are Top 10 in the country in scoring and offensive rebounding. They are a dark horse to be in New Orleans, and the latest Final Four odds are tempting.

On the flip side, when the Tide are bad they can really shoot themselves in the foot. They turn the ball over frequently, foul a lot, and allow more than 78 points a game.

Oates took over for Bobby Hurley at Buffalo, went to the NCAA Tournament three times in four years, and twice advanced in the Big Dance. His track record at Alabama is strong. That said, they have been very inconsistent, and the record against the spread this year is the worst among all tournament teams.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish Betting Analysis

Nothing about Notre Dame’s season has been easy. So why not a double OT play-in game win 2,000 miles from Friday’s venue?

NOTRE DAME WINS IT IN DOUBLE OT!

THE LUCK OF THE IRISH ON ST. PATRICK'S DAY 🍀@NDmbb #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/BmeIiznSF2

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 17, 2022

The Irish beat Rutgers in Dayton 89-87. Paul Atkinson Jr. went for 26 points on 13/15 shooting in the victory. Meanwhile, Rutgers hit a dozen three pointers and dominated the glass.

Interestingly, most of the year the Irish have defended the three point line pretty well. Notre Dame forces very few turnovers and doesn’t block many shots, but they guard effectively and virtually never foul.

On offense Notre Dame hits at a high percentage from outside the arc, and makes more than nine triples a contest. They rarely give the ball away, and that makes up for rarely grabbing offensive rebounds.

Mike Brey’s squad started the year 4-5, but got off the deck to begin ACC play 12-3. They went 3-3 down the stretch and were taken out of the league tournament by Virginia Tech in the Irish’s first game. Their last win over an NCAA Tournament team was in early February against Miami. They have three other victories against squads in the bracket, North Carolina in January, and Texas A&M Corpus Christi and Kentucky in the non league slate.

Alabama vs Notre Dame Pick

Give Notre Dame credit for responding time and time again in the play-in game. That said, they can’t possibly be fully prepared mentally and physically a-day-and-a-half later three time zones away. Alabama has been radically inconsistent, but their league makes them battle tested, and they have a lot of advantages going into this one.

Pick: Alabama -4 (-108)

Other March Madness Content

First Round Game Previews (Friday)

1. Loyola Chicago vs Ohio State Odds and Picks (12:15 pm ET)
2. Jacksonville State vs Auburn Picks and Odds (12:40 pm ET)
3. Montana State vs Texas Tech Odds, Lines and Spread (1:45 pm ET)
4. Yale vs Purdue Picks and Odds (2:00 pm ET)
5. Delaware vs Villanova Odds, Lines and Spread (2:45 pm ET)
6. Miami vs USC Odds and Picks (3:10pm ET)
7. Virginia Tech vs Texas Odds, Lines and Spread (4:30 pm ET)
8. Chattanooga vs Illinois Odds and Picks (6:30 pm ET)
9. Cal State Fullerton vs Duke Picks and Odds (7:10 pm ET)
10. Iowa State vs LSU Odds, Lines and Spread (7:20 pm ET)
11. Wright State vs Arizona Prediction (7:27 pm ET)
12. UAB vs Houston Picks and Odds (9:20pm ET)
13. Davidson vs Michigan State Odds, Lines and Spread (9:40 pm ET)
14. Colgate vs Wisconsin Odds and Picks (9:50 pm ET)
15. TCU vs Seton Hall Picks and Odds (9:57 PM ET)

First Round Game Previews (Thursday)

1. Michigan vs Colorado State Odds and Picks (12:15 pm ET)
2. Providence vs South Dakota State Picks and Odds (12:40 pm ET)
3. Memphis vs Boise State Odds, Lines and Spread (1:45 pm ET)
4. Norfolk State vs Baylor Odds and Picks (2:00 pm ET)
5. Longwood vs Tennessee Picks and Odds (2:45 pm ET)
6. Richmond vs Iowa Odds, Lines, and Spread (3:10 pm ET)
7. Gonzaga vs Georgia State Odds (4:15 pm ET)
8. Marquette vs UNC Picks and Odds (4:30 pm ET)
9. New Mexico State vs UConn Odds, Lines, and Spread (6:50 pm ET)
10. Saint Peter’s vs Kentucky Odds and Picks (7:10 pm ET)
11. Indiana vs Saint Mary’s Picks and Odds (7:20 pm ET)
12. Creighton vs San Diego State Odds, Lines, and Spread (7:27 pm ET)
13. Vermont vs Arkansas Odds and Picks (9:20 pm ET)
14. San Francisco vs Murray State Picks and Odds (9:40 pm ET)
15. Akron vs UCLA Odds, Lines, and Spread (9:50 pm ET)
16. Texas Southern vs Kansas Odds and Picks (9:57 pm ET)

Regional Previews

1. East Region Odds — Baylor Earns Top Seed, Kentucky Favored
2. Midwest Region Odds See Kansas Favored Over Auburn, Iowa and Wisconsin
3. South Region Odds: Arizona +110 Favorites, Tennessee & Houston Sleepers
4. West Regional Odds: Gonzaga Odds-On Favorite to Reach Final Four

General

• SBD’s Expert Brackets and March Madness Picks 2022
• March Madness Odds Favor Gonzaga at +350 After Selection Sunday
• March Madness Odds for All First Round Games
• Printable 2022 March Madness Bracket – Make Your Picks for the NCAA Tournament