Alabama basketball vs. South Carolina: Score prediction, scouting report

Alabama basketball is aiming to score a victory over South Carolina on Tuesday, and it figures to be the Gamecocks’ toughest test yet this season.

South Carolina (13-1, 1-0 SEC) has only lost once all season, a 72-67 loss to Clemson on the road. But none of the wins have been especially signature. The best win was just this past Saturday against Mississippi State at home; the Bulldogs are ranked No. 29 in KenPom’s rankings.

Now, the Gamecocks will have to face the Crimson Tide on the road on Tuesday (6 p.m., SEC Network) at Coleman Coliseum. The question for Alabama is if it can not only get the win but also find a way to finish strong. That has been an issue at times this season for the Crimson Tide.

Ahead of the first SEC game of the season at Coleman Coliseum, here’s a look at how Alabama (9-5, 1-0) and South Carolina stack up.

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Projected starting lineup for South Carolina

Guard Meechie Johnson (junior): 6-foot-2, 184-pounds. Averages: 18.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.2 blocks, 1.5 turnovers.

Guard Ta’Lon Cooper (senior): 6-foot-4, 200 pounds. Averages: 9.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 0.5 steals, 0.3 blocks, 1.1 turnovers.

Forward Myles Stute (senior): 6-foot-6, 209 pounds. Averages: 10.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.2 blocks, 1.4 turnovers.

Forward Stephen Clark (senior): 6-foot-8, 208 pounds. Averages: 3.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0. 1 steals, 0.9 blocks, 0.9 turnovers.

Center BJ Mack (senior): 6-foot-8, 270 pounds. Averages: 13.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.9 blocks, 1.1 turnovers.

This is an overall veteran group in the starting lineup. If not Clark starting at the four spot, Collin Murray-Boyles or Zachary Davis could start there.

South Carolina’s rotation

The Gamecocks have 10 players who have averaged 10 or more minutes per game. Outside of the starting five listed above, Davis has averaged the most time with 19.5 minutes per game. Two freshmen, Morris Ugusuk and Murray-Boyles, are included in that group, each seeing at least 12.4 minutes per game.

How South Carolina stacks up with Alabama in scoring, defense and tempo

KenPom tracks adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency, which are points scored and allowed per 100 possessions. The Gamecocks are decent at both offense and defense but not elite in either.

As is the case in most matchups that Alabama plays, it will look to go significantly faster than South Carolina. KenPom measures the adjusted tempo statistic based on the number of possessions per 40 minutes.

Adjusted offensive efficiency:

South Carolina: 113.4 (49th nationally)

Alabama: 124.8 (1st)

Adjusted defensive efficiency:

South Carolina: 100.5 (78th)

Alabama: 100.5 (76th)

Tempo

South Carolina: 65.4 (329th)

Alabama: 73 (29th)

Score prediction

Alabama 90, South Carolina: 77: The Gamecocks defense will have its hands full, and they haven’t faced near the gauntlet of a schedule that Alabama has. With the game at Coleman Coliseum, the Crimson Tide offense has a strong outing to remain undefeated in SEC play.

Nick Kelly is the Alabama beat writer for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network, and he covers Alabama football and men’s basketball. Reach him at nkelly@gannett.com or follow him @_NickKelly on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter.