Alabama
College Basketball Best, March 5: Illinois vs Purdue, Florida vs Alabama, UNC vs ND
Vaughn Dalzell breaks down his best bets on Illinois vs Purdue, Alabama at Florida, plus UNC hosting Notre Dame.
Purdue at Illinois (-1.5): O/U 163.5
Illinois is 9-3 since Terrence Shannon returned to the lineup, ranking as the second-best offense in the country with nearly 90 points per game.
The Illini’s defense ranks 202nd in that span, but Purdue is barely a top 100 defensive team themselves. The two edges Illinois has going is they rank No. 1 in three-point defensive rate during that 12-game span and they have size to compete on the boards.
Purdue on the road is 6-3 this season and owns a bottom 10 rank when it comes to forcing turnovers (11.3%) and comes in at 209th for three-point defense (35.5%).
If Illinois can double-team Zach Edey enough on defense and rotate like Northwestern and Nebraska were able to, then Illinois can win.
I played Illinois on the ML at -125 odds on FanDuel and would opt to play this out to -3 if you play spreads.
Pick: Illinois ML (1u)
Alabama at Florida (-1.5): O/U 176.5
The first meeting between these two teams was one of the better games of the year. Alabama won at home, 98-93 in OT, after trailing 72-62 with 8:40 remaining (Alabama had a 24% win expectancy).
The Tide rallied back and scored 61 combined second-half and OT points to beat the Gators. Since February 10, Florida is No. 19 in Barttorvik and Alabama is No. 25 with the 226th-ranked defense.
Florida ranks 14th and 62nd in offensive and defensive efficiency during that span. The Tide are not forcing tunovers, defensive rebounding at the 302nd-best rate, and allowing 56.2% from two-point range (322nd).
Florida is coming off a road loss, which sets them up well for a home revenge spot on in the final home game. I have no trust in Alabama’s defense and while the Tide don’t lose two straight games often, the Tide also don’t win two consecutive road games often.
I grabbed the Gators’ ML at -125 odds on FanDuel and would go out to -3 if you opt for the spread. This was +1.5 yesterday.
Pick: Florida ML (1.5u)
Notre Dame at North Carolina (-15.5): O/U 138.5
Both Notre Dame and North Carolina have won five of the last six games and the Irish post the 30th-best defense in that span, while UNC is 28th.
This is the first meeting of the season between the two squads. Historically, Notre Dame has scored 69 or fewer points in five straight trips to Chapel Hill with 65 or less in the past three.
The Irish have scored 28, 31, and 30 first half points in the past three trips and I expect a lower number here. Notre Dame is playing at the 330th-ranked tempo in the country during this 5-1 stretch with the 135th-ranked offense.
Despite winning lately, Notre Dame faces a tough test at North Carolina on Senior Night. UNC has RJ Davis, Armando Bacot, and Cormac Ryan walking tonight, so I expect the Tar Heels to come out aggressive.
I played Notre Dame’s First Half Team Total Under 28.5 at -112 odds on FanDuel and would go down to 27.5 for 1 unit. The Irish have scored 31 or less first half points in four of the past five games versus unimpressive defenses in the ACC.
Pick: Notre Dame 1H Team Total Under 28.5 (1.5u)
Tulane at South Florida (-7.5): O/U 156.5
This is the first meeting of the season between Tulane and South Florida, but the story of two teams trending in different directions. USF has won 14 straight games, the nation’s longest winning streak, while Tulane lost six consecutive.
Tulane is 2-7 on the road with the 360th and 338th-ranked offensive and defensive rebounding percentages. Tulane is the worst rebounding team in the conference and shoots the two at 48.1% (12 of 14), while ranking 11th in offensive efficiency.
This is the final home game for USF and the Bulls are locked in as the regular-season conference champs. The Bulls have the best defense in the conference and I expect it to be on display.
I played Tulane’s First Half Team Total Under 35.5 at -118 odds on FanDuel and would go down to 34.5. The last three visitors to USF stayed Under this number.
Pick: Tulane 1H Team Total Under 35.5 (1u)
Season Record: 60-50 (54.5%) +4.68 units
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Jacob Crews scored 20, and Anthony Robinson II added 19 in Missouri’s 85-77 win over Alabama State on Thursday night.
Crews shot 7 of 9 from the field, including 6 of 8 from the 3-point arc. Mark Mitchell added 15 points for Missouri (9-2), and Sebastian Mack added 10.
The Tigers had a 15-0 run in the first half, heading into the locker room up 52-39. Alabama State was held scoreless over a 4:19 drought in the middle of the second half to open a 9-0 run for the Tigers. The Hornets (3-8) responded with their own 10-0 run to bring the game within eight, 74-62. The Tigers regained control, though, to keep their eight-point lead the rest of the game, handing Alabama State their fourth loss in a row.
The Tigers shot 65% (33 of 51). Both teams shot 50% from the free-throw line.
Alabama State outscored Missouri in the final period, 38-33. Asjon Anderscon scored 23 for the Hornets, leading all players in scoring.
Up next
Missouri hosts Bethune-Cookman on Dec. 14.
Alabama State travels to Cincinnati to face the Bearcats on Dec. 17.
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Let’s crank up a Thursday edition of “The Joe Gaither Show on BamaCentral” with Mason Woods and Katie Windham as we start getting ready for next week’s College Football Playoff game between Alabama and Oklahoma. Windham detailed how the Crimson Tide can improve over the next few weeks, we discuss the team’s health and look back at our last road trip to Norman. The show then discusses the Heisman Trophy finalists before addressing a Kalen DeBoer coaching rumor.
The program opens by power ranking the holidays before discussing Windham’s three areas the Crimson Tide can improve over the next week. Our trio picks the easiest area the team can improve and how Alabama must perform in Norman. Windham details our last trip to Oklahoma as we go down memory lane to the Sooners’ 24-3 victory last season.
The show continues on by getting Windham’s thoughts on Alabama’a College Football Playoff selection and if the Crimson Tide actually deserved its place in the field. She brings up a unique aspect of Alabama’s blowout loss in the SEC Championship and how it played into the program’s inclusion in the College Football Playoffs.
We move from next week’s game into a small discussion on Notre Dame’s reaction of being left out of the field and how it relates to Alabama’s future home-and-home dates with the Fighting Irish. Will the two esteemed programs still face off in a few years?
The show heads into the only college football action of the weekend by highlighting the strong Heisman Trophy finalist field. Who brings home the bronze statue?
Lastly, we spend the final bit of the show talking about Michigan firing Sherrone Moore and the reports of the Wolverines considering persuing Kalen DeBeor for their next head coach. Will DeBoer leave Tuscaloosa for Ann Arbor?
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MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – As holiday deliveries ramp up, a new Alabama law aims to deter package theft by raising penalties for so-called “porch piracy.” The law, which went into effect on October 1, 2025, makes repeated package theft a felony and can carry prison sentences of up to 10 years in the most serious cases.
What changed
Previously, many package thefts in Alabama were charged as misdemeanor theft because the value of individual stolen packages often fell below felony thresholds. Under the new law however, lawmakers established penalties that focus on the number of homes targeted rather than the dollar value of items stolen:
- Stealing from 1 to 9 homes: most serious misdemeanor
- Stealing from 10 to 29 homes: felony
- Stealing from 30 or more homes: can result in up to 10 years in prison
The law also increases penalties if stolen packages are used to commit identity theft or fraud. In addition, anyone who knowingly receives packages stolen by a porch pirate can be charged under the new rules.
Lawmakers weigh in
Senator April Weaver, one of the bill’s sponsors, said the change was meant to protect Alabama families during the holidays.
“It was really important to protect the people not only in my district but throughout the state of Alabama and to make sure their hard-earned money is going to their children’s Christmas,” she said.
On camera, Senator Weaver added with holiday humor, “It means the Grinch may have stolen Christmas in Whoville, but if he does it in Alabama, he’ll have plenty of time in state prison for his heart to grow three sizes.”
What police recommend if your package is stolen
If you discover a stolen package, law enforcement recommends:
- Report the theft to police immediately.
- Preserve any doorbell or surveillance footage that may show the theft.
- Contact the delivery company right away to report the missing item.
- Consider requiring a signature on delivery to reduce the risk of theft.
The law went into effect on October 1, 2025; this December marks the first holiday season it is in effect. Alabama is now one of more than a dozen states that have passed laws specifically targeting package theft. Supporters say the law sends a stronger message that porch piracy will no longer be treated as a minor offense.
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