Who’s hot, who’s not, key numbers and more as Kentucky moves to 3-0 in SEC
Instant analysis from No. 14 Kentucky’s 76-67 win over Alabama:
How the game was won
Immanuel Quickley drilled two clutch three-point shots down the stretch and scored a team-high 19 points and Nick Richards produced another double-double (13 points, 11 rebounds) as Kentucky held off a gritty Crimson Tide effort.
Who’s hot
1. Immanuel Quickley. The sophomore guard has been, arguably, Kentucky’s best player over the past four games.
2. Nick Richards. Kentucky’s big man continues to produce a feel-good junior season.
3. Kentucky guard rebounders. If you are going to play a three-guard lineup, they have to rebound. Ashton Hagans (nine boards), Immanuel Quickley (six) and Tyrese Maxey (four) are doing that.
4. Nate Oats. The new Alabama head man, who did impressive work at Buffalo, has his first Crimson Tide team playing an entertaining style and playing hard.
Who’s not
1. UK foul shooters. What had been a surprising Wildcats strength this season has gone straight south (combined 21-of-37) the past two games.
2. Kentucky defensive rebounders. Alabama’s offensive rebounding (a 16-10 advantage) and 17 second-chance points helped the Tide stay in the game.
3. James “Beetle” Bolden. The former Sweet Sixteen star from Covington Holmes had a rough go (2-of-10 shooting, 0-of-6 on three-point tries) in his return to Rupp Arena.
Key number(s)
11.1 and four. Alabama entered the game averaging 11.1 made three-point shots; Kentucky held the Crimson Tide to 4-of-20 on treys.
The ‘Cat-mosphere’
1. UK distributed a card listing 29 ex-Cats in the NBA with their current statistics and encouraging Wildcats backers to vote for the former Kentucky stars for the 2020 NBA All-Star Game.
2. Alex Francke, 2019 Miss Kentucky, performed a well-received rendition of the national anthem.
3. Former UK basketball star Rex Chapman was shown on the Rupp Arena giant video screens — but never looked up from his cell phone (Tweeting out a “block or charge?”) and was unaware.
4. Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops was shown on the Rupp Arena giant video screens during a first-half TV timeout (7:28) — to a large ovation.
5. Fans in the E-Rupp-tion Zone chanted “We want Greg!” at top-10 recruit Greg Brown, who was in Rupp Arena on an official visit.
6. The 24-time Universal Cheerleading Association national champion Kentucky cheerleaders performed their 2020 competition routine at halftime.
7. Former Kentucky forward Reggie Hanson was “the Y.”
Up next
▪ Kentucky (12-3, 3-0 SEC) will open a two-game road swing next week with a Wednesday visit to South Carolina (8-7, 0-2 SEC after falling 56-55 Saturday at Tennessee). The game will tip off at 6:30 p.m. and be telecast by the SEC Network.
Coach Frank Martin’s Gamecocks are only 5-4 this season at the Colonial Life Arena with home losses to Boston University, Houston, Stetson and Florida. South Carolina’s best win so far in 2019-20 was a 70-59 road victory over defending NCAA champion Virginia on Dec. 22.
▪ Alabama (8-7, 1-2) will face No. 5 Auburn (15-0, 3-0) Wednesday at 9 p.m. (EST) at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa in a game that will be telecast on ESPN2.
This story was originally published January 11, 2020 at 2:16 PM.
