The 2-seed Alabama Crimson Tide (25-8, 19-14-0 ATS) face the 15-seed Robert Morris Colonials (26-7, 25-7-0 ATS) in Round 1 of the NCAA Tournament. The game tips off Thursday at 12:40pm ET from Rocket Arena in Cleveland, OH on truTV.

Alabama enters as 23.5-point favorites (-5000 ML) with a total of 166.5 points. The Crimson Tide lead the nation in scoring (91.1 PPG) but have dropped three of their last five games. Key big man Grant Nelson (knee) is questionable.

Robert Morris comes in hot with 10 straight wins and just one loss in their last 17 games. The Colonials boast the second-best scoring defense in the Horizon League (70.4 PPG) and are an impressive 25-7-0 ATS this season.

Key Matchup Factors:

• Alabama ranks 6th overall at KenPom (2nd in offensive efficiency)
• Robert Morris hasn't faced a ranked team this season
• Crimson Tide allowed 81.4 PPG (last in SEC defense)
• Colonials average 76.9 PPG (4th in Horizon League)

Player Props to Watch:

• Mark Sears (ALA): O/U 20.5 points
• Kam Woods (RMU): O/U 14.5 points
• Alvaro Folgueiras & Clifford Omoruyi: O/U 7.5 rebounds

Public Betting:

• 77% of spread bets on Robert Morris
• 91% of ML bets on Alabama
• Total split nearly even (46% Over)

Prediction: While Alabama should advance, Robert Morris's strong ATS record and scoring ability make covering the large spread achievable. Take Robert Morris +23.5 (-118).

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