After a 23-point second-half lead slipped away in a loss at Ole Miss on Saturday, Alabama first-year Coach Anthony Grant saw the game as a snapshot reflection of a challenging season.

"Today was a microcosm of what we've experienced throughout the season," he said. "We've not shown an ability to handle adversity."

If No. 3 Kentucky has its way, Alabama will get plenty more adversity Tuesday night in Rupp Arena.

"The situation at Kentucky speaks for itself," Grant said Monday. "Certainly there can be a lot of adversity. That builds character. That's what we need right now."

Although Alabama brings a 3-6 Southeastern Conference record to Kentucky, the Tide have been competitive. Three of Alabama's league losses came by one point and five by a total of 17 points.

"You know, our guys come every day," Grant said of his players' resiliency. "They listen, and we try to keep the same approach in terms of understanding the process and getting better. We'll find out here tomorrow, but right now I think our guys understand where we want the program going and what we need to try to do to make it happen."

Grant has made defense a priority. The Tide lead the SEC in holding league opponents to an average of 60.1 points and 25.4-percent shooting from three-point range. Alabama also ranks fourth in overall shooting accuracy by SEC opponents (39.6 percent).

Only Arkansas (71) and Ole Miss (74) have scored more than 70 points against Alabama.

Guard Mikhail Torrance (14.4 ppg) and forward JaMychal Green (13.1 ppg) average double-digit points in league play. Freshman wing Tony Mitchell, who averages 9.4 points and 7.1 rebounds in league play, had 16 points and eight rebounds at Ole Miss.

Killer Ds

UK Coach John Calipari noted again how much he enjoyed playing freshman big men DeMarcus Cousins and Daniel Orton at the same time. He especially liked the post-to-post pass that netted Orton a layup at LSU.

In telling reporters how he addressed UK's Killer Ds about their potential together, Calipari said he told them, "Do you understand that when two big guys like you are in together, usually they won't pass except to each other because the guards shoot all the balls? That's how you two should play."

Calipari again called Orton an X-factor for Kentucky.

"If DeMarcus gets in foul trouble and, god forbid, he loses his mind or gets a technical or something, we can still play."

Orton can rebound and block shots, Calipari said. The UK coach also noted how Orton can use his "Spider-Man arms" to reach around an opponent posting up and deflect a feed or steal the ball.

"I never heard that before," Orton said when asked about his Spider-Man arms. "I guess you could consider that a compliment."

Few fouls

LSU Coach Trent Johnson complimented UK's "nasty" and "physical" style of play.

Calipari noted that the Cats don't foul a lot. In the latest NCAA statistics, UK ranked 35th out of 334 teams in number of fouls.

"People are taking a lot of jumpers," Calipari said in explaining the relatively few fouls. "Think about it. Would you want to go inside against these guys. So you shoot a lot of jumpers."

Wall settles in?

Although John Wall made only two of nine shots and scored a season-low six points at LSU, Calipari praised the freshman's floor game, which included seven assists and only two turnovers in 30 minutes.

Calipari saw a good sign in correctly predicting that Wall would make ESPN's SportsCenter for a behind-the-back dribble that led to a fast-break layup and a diagonal pass on another fast-break that netted Eric Bledsoe a layup.

"You've established yourself," the UK coach said he told Wall. "Just play. You don't have to live up to the hype."

Now Calipari said he will work to improve Wall's defense. "He watches the ball on rebounds," the UK coach said. "He ball-watches a lot."

Great expectations

When Cousins endured rough tactics by high school opponents, his coach counseled patience.

"In high school, my coach always said, when you get to college, it'll be different," Cousins said, pausing for effect. "And it just got worse. I don't know where to go."

Otis Hughley, the UK player's coach at Leflore High in Mobile, Ala., said he indeed told that to Cousins.

"And I thought so," Hughley said. "Who would have ever predicted him having this kind of dominance."

Correction

An earlier note mistakenly said Cousins' six straight double-doubles marked a first for a UK player since Jim Andrews in 1972-73. Not true.

Then freshman Chris Mills had six straight double-doubles in 1988-89. He had 10 or more points and rebounds against Bowling Green, Marshall, Indiana, Austin Peay (which also included 10 assists for the program's only triple-double), Louisville and Georgia. Mills' streak ended against Vanderbilt when he had 13 points and nine rebounds.

Etc.

Alabama will be playing its third game in six days, and second on the road in four days. ... Rob Stone and Jay Williams will call the game for ESPNU.