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Grand Canyon vs. Alabama Prediction, Best Bet & Odds for Round 2

Mike Spector

Last Updated: March 24, 2024 3:37 PM EDT • 3 min read.

Grand Canyon seeks to earn its first Sweet 16 appearance in school history when facing Alabama on Sunday, and we offer our top Grand Canyon-Alabama prediction and best bet based on the best March Madness odds.

After a thrilling upset victory against Saint Mary's in the first round, the No. 12 seed Grand Canyon Antelopes (30-4) are poised to continue their surprising run as they face the No. 4 seed Alabama Crimson Tide (22-11) in the Round of 32 of the NCAA Tournament. The matchup is scheduled to tip off at 7:10 p.m. ET at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena in Washington and will be broadcasted on TBS.

There's value in the Antelopes' moneyline odds from our best live betting sites, as their Cinderella run is likely to continue.

As part of our March Madness predictions, here is our best Grand Canyon vs. Alabama prediction and college basketball picks (odds via our best March Madness betting sites; Pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Grand Canyon vs. Alabama odds

Grand Canyon (No. 12) vs. Alabama (No. 4) prediction: West Region

Grand Canyon ML ⭐⭐⭐

Best odds: +220 via FanDuel

Editor's note: This moneyline has now shortened at all of our best sports betting sites and mostly sits just below +200 as of Sunday morning. bet365 is the exception at +205.

Alabama has one of the widest ranges of possible outcomes compared to any team in the country. Its lightning-fast tempo (seventh-fastest in the country) maximizes possessions, and the Crimson Tide shot 3-pointers at the 19th-highest rate in the country.

However, Grand Canyon was the WAC’s most efficient team in terms of adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency. The Antelopes scored 80-plus points in three of four games entering their contest against Saint Mary’s before scoring a respectable 1.06 points per possession). That's why we like Grand Canyon’s chances even in a high-scoring game.

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Grand Canyon possesses an innate ability to muck up a game given how relentless it is at drawing fouls, as the Antelopes shoot free throws at the nation's third-highest rate. The team gets the fourth-highest percentage of its points at the free throw line, and Alabama’s defense ranks in the bottom 45 of the country in free throw rate allowed (39.5%). The Antelopes therefore have a chance to get many of Alabama’s best players in foul trouble. That's concerning for Crimson Tide backers, as the team ranks outside the top 130 in bench minutes.

FanDuel is alone among our best sports betting apps while offering better than +210 moneyline odds to back the underdogs, and BetRivers is on the low end at +200. That's a big difference in payouts, as a $10 winning wager at FanDuel would return bettors $32 compared to $30 at BetRivers.

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Grand Canyon vs. Alabama spread & Over/Under analysis

Most of our best sports betting sites are listing Alabama as a 6-point favorites, while FanDuel and BetRivers are slightly higher at -6.5. bet365 was the only shop to open as low as Alabama at -5.5, but that was quickly bet up to -6. Early wagers are 2/1 in support of Alabama (67/33), despite the Crimson Tide covering just one of their last five games and two of their previous eight.

All of our best sportsbooks are in unison with a total of 168.5, while BetRivers is the only shop that differs slightly with a total of 169. Compared to the point spread, there's been much more line movement tied to the total. FanDuel opened the highest of all of our top sports betting sites with an O/U of 170.5 and came down two full points to 168.5. However, there was some movement to the Over elsewhere, as BetRivers came up a half point from its opening number of 168.5.

The Over is likely to be the most popular side among bettors, as it's cashed in 11 of Alabama’s last 12 games. 

Grand Canyon vs. Alabama game info

  • When: Sunday, March 24
  • Tipoff: 7:10 p.m. ET 
  • Where: Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, Spokane, Wash.
  • How to watch: TBS

Grand Canyon-Alabama prediction made 3/23/24 at 9:02 a.m. ET.

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Written By:
Mike Spector
Mike started in the sports writing industry in July 2019, and gained a lot of followers in his first year after finishing with the No. 2 overall record in an annual NFL betting competition, which made picks against the spread, and from an Over/Under and moneyline perspective. Mike is an avid fan of the NFL, MLB, tennis, and all college sports. In his opinion, March Madness is the best sporting event there is, and he's especially euphoric starting with conference tournament time in college basketball. Mike's a big advocate of "fading the public" and making plays that are contrarian, constantly citing that "there are reasons why they have those big shiny buildings in Las Vegas." When making wagers, Mike always scours the best odds at all of the major sports betting sites, where he mostly sifts through DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and bet365. He's tried several others and is of the firm belief that bettors should not just stick to one sportsbook, as there is always likely better value to be had with the same wager. In addition, while Mike received his undergraduate degree from Villanova University, he has no issue betting against the Wildcats when it comes to college basketball wagering, and suggests other bettors should always put their “head” before their “hearts.”