Notes from Kentucky basketball’s win at Alabama

Some notes from UK’s 67-58 win over Alabama:

▪ Alabama made just nine of 26 free throws for 34.6 percent. The Crimson Tide was just three-of-11 from the line in the first half and six-of-15 in the second half. Auburn was five-of-15 for 33 percent at the line against UK on Jan. 14. Michigan State was three-of-nine at the line for 33 percent against the Cats in the Champions Classic back on Nov. 15.

▪ Kentucky wasn’t great from the free throw line either, making just 10 of 18 for 55.6 percent. Isaiah Briscoe was just one-of-seven from the line. Take his out and the Cats were nine-of-11.

▪ Briscoe had his fourth double-double of the season. The sophomore had 11 points and 11 rebounds Saturday. He had a triple-double at Ole Miss with 19 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists. He had 11 points and 14 rebounds at Tennessee. He had 23 points and 11 rebounds in the overtime win over Georgia.

▪ After two straight games in which he did not get a rebound, Malik Monk had one rebound Saturday. Monk now has four rebounds in his last four games.

▪ Kentucky averaged 0.950 points per possession, the sixth time this season it fell below the 1.0 points per possession threshold. UK is now 2-4 in those games. The other win came against Michigan State when UK’s PPP was 0.926. The losses were to Louisville (0.949), Tennessee (0.991), Kansas (0.994) and Florida (0.836).

▪ Alabama had just four assists, the fewest by a UK opponent since Bama posted just four assists in its loss to Kentucky in last season’s SEC Tournament.

▪ Kentucky made just three of 15 three-point shots, fewest since going one-for-nine at Vanderbilt on Jan. 10. UK won that game 87-81.

▪ Alabama freshman Braxton Key finished with 21 points, but he blamed his bad play in the first half for helping the Tide to a nine-point halftime deficit. Key entered the game averaging 11.9 points per game, but was just two-of-four four points with three turnovers in the second half. He scored 17 in the second half.

▪ Key joked that UK’s Bam Adebayo has been blocking his shots since they were kids. Key is from Charlotte. Adebayo is from Little Washington, North Carolina.

▪ Bama coach Avery Johnson said the crowd of 15,383 wasn’t just good “it was great with all capitals.” Johnson lamented that the Tide hasn’t rewarded those type crowds with victories.

▪ UK’s Dominique Hawkins gave the Cats a lift, especially in the first half. Hawkins finished with five points, three assists and two steals in 12 minutes.

▪ Monk led UK with 17 points. He hit six of 15 shots, including two of six three-point shots.

▪ Derek Willis hit arguably the biggest shot of the game when he nailed a three-pointer with 1:17 left to put the Cats up 60-51. UK coach John Calipari said he called the same play two possessions earlier, but Willis set a screen instead of getting open for a pass.

▪ Kentucky has now beaten Alabama seven straight games.