Alabama basketball vs. Oklahoma: Score prediction, scouting report

The conference slate has been turbulent for Oklahoma.

The Sooners exited nonconference play 9-3 with the best win coming against Florida. It's been rough since. Oklahoma has won two games in Big 12 play, against Texas Tech and West Virginia. Otherwise, the Sooners have struggled, albeit against some of the best teams in the country. Oklahoma has had the No. 6 toughest schedule, according to KenPom. Its losses include No. 9 Kansas, No. 10 Texas and No. 11 TCU.

The Sooners enter the game against No. 2 Alabama basketball Saturday (1 p.m., ESPN) on a three-game losing streak. Oklahoma will look to reverse course at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Oklahoma and get a win at home against one of the best teams in the country.

Here's a look at the Sooners (11-9, 2-6 Big 12) and how they match up with the Crimson Tide (18-2, 8-0 SEC) ahead of the game that's part of the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.

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Projected starting lineup for Oklahoma

Guard Milos Uzan (freshman): 6-foot-4, 183 pounds. Averages: 6.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.3 blocks, 2.2 turnovers.

Guard Grant Sherfield (senior): 6-2, 201 pounds. Averages: 16.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 0.8 steals, 0 blocks, 2.2 turnovers.

Forward Jalen Hill (senior): 6-6, 232 pounds. Averages: 9.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.7 blocks, 1.3 turnovers.

Forward Jacob Groves (senior): 6-9, 216 pounds. Averages: 8.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.1 blocks, 0.9 turnovers.

Center Tanner Groves (senior): 6-foot-10, 240 pounds. Averages: 10.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.7 steals, 1.1 blocks, 1.8 turnovers.

Tanner Groves is fifth in the Big 12 in rebounds per game. Meanwhile, Sherfield is seventh in the conference in points per game. Hill is the best free-throw shooter in the Big 12, though. He has gone 48-for-54 from the free-throw line for a clip of 88.9%.

Oklahoma's rotation

The five starters are the core recipients of minutes as all five listed above have at least 24.5 minutes or more per game, but nine players on the roster average 10 minutes or more. Players such as Sam Godwin, CJ Noland and Bijan Cortes will likely be the first three off the bench.

How Oklahoma 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. Oklahoma is about the same offensively and defensively nationally. Neither the offense nor defense is remarkable, but neither is horrendous either.

Oklahoma plays at about the same tempo as Mississippi State, whom Alabama beat by a 3-pointer Wednesday. Alabama, as is the case in most matchups, will try to play significantly faster. KenPom measures the adjusted tempo statistic based on the number of possessions per 40 minutes.

Adjusted offensive efficiency:

Oklahoma: 111.3 (55th nationally)

Alabama: 115.4 (16th)

Adjusted defensive efficiency:

Oklahoma: 97.7 (62nd nationally)

Alabama: 88.2 (5th)

Tempo

Oklahoma: 64 (321st nationally)

Alabama: 73.4 (3rd)

Score prediction

Alabama 78, Oklahoma 67: Playing at home will help the Sooners, but Alabama should emerge with a victory nonetheless. The Crimson Tide's effort will need to be better than it was in the first half against Mississippi State, though. That could prove costly on the road if Alabama has a repeat performance in not playing hard to start the game.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama basketball score prediction vs. Oklahoma: Scouting report