The Alabama Crimson Tide finished the 2004-05 season with a strong 24-8 straight up record, including a Southeastern Conference record of 12-4, which was good for a first place tie with LSU in the SEC West Division.
Alabama finished 16-14 against the spread for the year, and covered eleven of their final fifteen games against the spread for the regular season. The Tide failed to meet expectations in the post season however, going 1-2 both SU&ATS and losing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to Wisconsin-Milwaukee 73-83 as 4.5-point chalks
Overall the Tide had a solid season and profitable run down the stretch, which gamblers would remember with appreciation as they prepared for the new season. Overall Alabama had a favorable basketball reputation with gamblers but that also caused the possibility that they would be over-valued to begin the new season.
Gushing red ink
Alabama opened the 2005-06 season with a 64-58 home win over Miami-Ohio as 13.5-point overlays. That was then followed by a 76-87 home loss to Memphis as 1-point chalks and then a 105-68 unlined home win over Alabama State.
Bama then returned to the board and picked up right where they left off by gushing red ink, beginning with a 73-63 win over Louisiana Tech as 13.5-point home overlays. They then scored an unlined 60-57 home win over Winthrop. Back on the board at home against Notre Dame, Alabama scored a 71-78 loss as 8.5-point chalks. That was then followed by a 58-68 loss at Temple as 4-point dogs as the Crimson Tide of losing against the board was the theme to open the new season as Alabama failed to cover its first five lined games.
The bleeding stopped temporarily with an 85-58 home win over Georgia State as 20-point chalks but that was followed by a 64-68 home loss to North Carolina State as 2-point chalks.
After a 101-66 unlined home win over Jackson State, the Tide resumed their struggles against the board with a 56-68 loss at Oklahoma as 7-point dogs. They then scored another unlined home win over Birmingham Southern before opening the SEC season with a 61-71 home loss to Mississippi as 12-point chalks for an eighth loss in nine games against the board to start the year.
Brief bargains
Alabama stopped the bleeding with a 56-52 win at Auburn as 2-point dogs to begin a period as brief bargains on the board. That was followed by a 68-64 win at Kentucky as 7-point dogs and then a 78-75 home win in overtime over Arkansas as 1.5-point chalks for a third consecutive cover.
Unable to sustain momentum
Alabama next traveled to Louisiana State and scored a 57-68 loss/push as 11-point dogs. That was followed by a 65-59 home win over Mississippi State as 11-point overlays and then a 79-88 loss at Georgia as 1-point dogs as the Tide was unable to sustain momentum.
Back in black
The Crimson turned the tide however, starting with a 67-62 win over LSU as 3.5-point home dogs. That was followed by a 67-62 home win/push over Vanderbilt as 3-point chalks. The Tide was then back in black with a 64-50 win at Mississippi as 1-point chalks but that was followed by a 56-67 loss at South Carolina as 5-point dogs. From there, however, Alabama put together a three game payoff streak beginning with a 92-79 win over Tennessee as 1-point dogs. That was followed by a 63-65 win at Arkansas as 7.5-point dogs and then an 82-77 home win over Florida as 1.5-point dogs to complete a 5-1-1- run against the board. The Tide then ended the regular season with a 71-61 home win over Auburn as 11.5-point chalks and then a SU&ATS loss at Mississippi State.
Post season profits
Alabama lost SU&ATS to Kentucky in the SEC tourney before scoring a SU&ATS win over Marquette in the first round of the NCAA tourney. They were then eliminated in a loss/cover against UCLA.