Seton Hall vs Alabama prediction: Alabama's sprint collides with Seton Hall's slow-squeeze defense in Tuscaloosa
Two rebuilt rosters bring two opposite clocks to Coleman Coliseum, and the team that controls the number of possessions gets to play its own game.
- Expect a tug-of-war over tempo: Alabama wants a track meet, while Seton Hall wants a half-court grind built on its defense.
- Watch Alabama's shot-blockers against Seton Hall's transfer guards, led by Roddie Anderson III, who carried the opener with 15 points.
- No line is posted yet. Both openers went under, against closing totals of 172.5 for Alabama and 133.75 for Seton Hall.
A war over the clock
Alabama played its opener at 80.5 possessions per 40 minutes, 30th in Division I. Seton Hall played at 61, which ranks 343rd. That gap is no one-game accident: last season the Tide ranked fifth nationally in pace and the Pirates ranked 339th.
The scorelines followed the tempo. Alabama put up 96 on Sam Houston. Seton Hall held Saint Peter's to 42 and posted its largest opening-night halftime lead since the 2022-23 opener against Monmouth.
Shaheen Holloway's teams turn every trip into a half-court fight. Nate Oats's teams want the ball moving before a defense sets. Whichever coach drags this game toward his speed on Friday night gets to play his preferred version of it, and the other spends 40 minutes uncomfortable.
Strangers in both uniforms
Neither roster looks much like last season's. Seton Hall returns just 17.9% of last season's minutes and has 13 new players, and its starting five is made up entirely of transfers. Alabama returns 33.6% of its minutes in Oats's eighth season, with Labaron Philon off to the NBA.
That makes last season's final adjusted ratings a weak guide. Those ratings (points per 100 possessions, adjusted for opponents) put Alabama's offense 5th nationally and Seton Hall's defense 14th, but they describe different teams.
The opener gave a first look at who carries the new groups. Roddie Anderson III, a transfer from Xavier, scored 15 and carried the largest usage on the team. Del Jones, who averaged 17.2 points at Radford last season, went scoreless in his debut. Alabama spread the ball around, with Drew Fielder and London Jemison doing the most damage off the bench.
Holloway's suspension and the injury list
Alabama's most proven scorer is Aden Holloway, who averaged 16.8 points and shot 43.8% from three last season. As of Nov. 3 he was serving the final two games of a five-game suspension. If the Sam Houston opener was the first of those two, Friday would be the second, and Alabama hasn't announced anything different.
Freshman guard Anderson Diaz was doubtful for the opener with a left elbow injury, and there has been no update for this game. Freshman forward Jaxon Richardson was expected to play on a minutes restriction. Freshman forward Cole Cloer was listed as probable for the opener after missing the final exhibition.
Seton Hall's question is Kareem Thomas, who hurt his groin in an exhibition against Monmouth. His status has not been settled publicly. He matters because he shot 44.7% from three at Dartmouth last season, and the Pirates need perimeter scoring to keep pace if the game speeds up.
Where the shots go
Both defenses wall off the paint. Alabama blocked 31.2% of Sam Houston's two-point attempts, 2nd in the country, with Keitenn Bristow swatting four on his own. Seton Hall held Saint Peter's to 22.2% on twos, which ranks 3rd.
Alabama also carries more size. Its rotation averages 79.7 inches, weighted by minutes, against 77.0 for Seton Hall. Guard-heavy Pirates attacking that length could struggle to finish inside.
Ball security is the Tide's other edge. Seton Hall forced turnovers on 26.2% of Saint Peter's possessions, 55th in Division I. The Pirates got to the line often against Saint Peter's but made just 62.5% of their free throws, which could cost them in a tight finish on the road.
Key players
- Amari Allen (Alabama): The top returner averaged 11.4 points and 6.9 rebounds last season and added 12 points and four assists in the opener.
- Drew Fielder (Alabama): He scored 15 off the bench in his debut after averaging 14.7 points on 40.9% three-point shooting at Boise State last season.
- London Jemison (Alabama): He hit 3 of 4 threes for 15 points against Sam Houston.
- Keitenn Bristow (Alabama): He blocked four shots in 22 minutes, anchoring the nation's second-best block rate.
- Roddie Anderson III (Seton Hall): He led the opener with 15 points on 3-of-5 three-point shooting and a team-high 34.7% usage rate.
- Terry Copeland Jr. (Seton Hall): Last season's NJCAA Division I Player of the Year shot 80% from the field for 10 points in his debut.
- Del Jones (Seton Hall): He averaged 17.2 points at Radford last season but went scoreless in 19 minutes in the opener.
- Kareem Thomas (Seton Hall): He shot 44.7% from three at Dartmouth last season, but his groin injury leaves his status unsettled.
Numbers that matter
| Alabama pace | 80.5 | Possessions per 40 minutes in the opener, 30th nationally, after ranking fifth last season. |
|---|---|---|
| Seton Hall pace | 61 | That ranks 343rd and points to a half-court grind if the Pirates control the game. |
| Seton Hall returning minutes | 17.9% | This leaves last season's Pirates numbers a weak guide to this roster. |
| Alabama block rate | 31.2% | It ranks 2nd nationally and is a wall for a guard-heavy Seton Hall attack. |
| Seton Hall opponent 2-point % | 22.2% | Saint Peter's could barely score inside, a mark that ranks 3rd. |
Seton Hall vs Alabama: quick answers
When is Seton Hall vs Alabama?
Friday, November 13, 2026 at 9:00 PM ET.