Three takeaways as Kentucky basketball fails to finish at Alabama
Three takeaways from Kentucky basketball’s 70-59 loss to Alabama in Tuscaloosa on Tuesday night:
1. Let down one more time by lack of offensive execution
The Tide was there for the taking. Was it ever. No. 9-ranked Alabama was clanging its beloved three-pointers, throwing passes into the seats, blowing one-footers. You name it. Champing at the bit to run and gun, Nate Oats’ club was slowed to a near crawl by Kentucky’s grind-it-out offense and stingy defense. It was just the game the UK wanted.
And Kentucky still couldn’t pull off the win. Why? You know why. You certainly know if you’ve watched this team for the majority of its 15 games in this frustrating pandemic of a 2020-21 season. The Cats couldn’t score. Not when it counted. Up 51-49 with 7:27 remaining, John Calipari’s club made all of one basket — a Davion Mintz three-pointer with 4:27 left — in a stretch of nearly seven minutes. By the time Dontaie Allen hit a three-pointer from the left wing there were just 39 seconds remaining, and Alabama led 62-57.
If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck. And Tuesday was the 11th time in 15 games that Kentucky has failed to score more than 65 points in 40 minutes of regulation. After exploding (by their standards) for 82 points in Saturday’s home win over LSU, the Cats reverted to their anemic offensive form on Tuesday, shooting 35.2 percent from the floor, while turning the ball over 17 times.
To be fair, LSU doesn’t put a high priority on guarding. Alabama does. The Crimson Tide is not just a bunch of high-flying, three-ball shooters. Alabama entered the game leading the SEC in field goal percentage defense and three-point percentage defense in conference outings. Bama can beat you on both ends of the floor.
Still, you couldn’t help but feel Kentucky beat itself one more time in the same exact way. It’s just not a good offensive team. There have been flashes here and there, but unless something changes drastically, the verdict is in.
2. Calipari said his team got out-toughed
That’s the Kentucky’s go-to explanation after almost every defeat. Calipari didn’t think his team was tough enough. It didn’t get loose balls. It wasn’t strong with the basketball. Not that the Cats didn’t fight. Cal said he was proud of the way his team fought. But when push came to shove, the Cats got shoved out of the way.
He has a point. With the score tied 54-54, Brandon Boston had the ball ripped out of his hands at the free-throw line by a pair of Alabama defenders. Next thing you know, the Tide’s Juwan Gary was laying it in at the other end. Down the stretch, Isaiah Jackson turned it over with a bad pass. Allen was called for a walk on an up-and-down. Calipari said his team often got the ball where he wanted it, only to fumble it, or lose it to the more experienced Tide.
“Our guys are older, veteran guys that know how to win,” said Oats afterward. “(We’re) learning how to win, showing them know how to win in tight games.”
That’s a skill this young Kentucky team has yet to master. With the exception of the 20-point home blowout loss to the Crimson Tide on Jan. 16, the Cats have been right there in nearly all 10 of their losses. They lost by three to Kansas, by one to Notre Dame, by three to Louisville, by seven to Auburn, by one to Georgia. They trailed Alabama by four points with just 2:27 left.
Bottom line: The Cats were outscored 21-5 over the final 6:36 of the game. Maybe that’s a lack of toughness. Maybe that’s a lack of experience. Maybe that’s a lack of execution. Maybe that’s a lack of coaching. It’s certainly a lack of something.
3. Is this a year where Calipari needs the SEC Tournament?
The Kentucky coach has made no secret of the fact he hates conference tournaments. But considering his team sits 5-10 through games of Jan. 26, might he actually be looking forward to March 10-14 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville? Is it too early to say that winning the league tournament is the only way the Wildcats could get into the NCAA Tournament?
Calipari insisted it is too early to make such a statement. He said the Cats have at least six or seven ranked teams left on the schedule, thus six or seven opportunities to pull off impressive wins. He said that when freshman Terrence Clarke comes back from his ankle injury — whenever that might be — this could be a totally different team. He said he still believes the Cats will break through and go on a run.
First of all, we’re not even sure there will be an SEC Tournament this season. With programs still having to pause because of COVID-19 issues, there is some speculation that league tournaments will be scrapped so that teams will be free of coronavirus issues for the NCAA Tournament.
Second of all, time is running out for this long-desired run. Kentucky has but 10 SEC games remaining, plus the SEC/Big 12 Challenge on Saturday against No. 5 Texas, 8 p.m. in Rupp Arena. And there has been little evidence so far that the Cats are capable of a run. Their longest winning streak is three games. After a standout performance at Florida, they were blitzed by Bama. After an encouraging win over LSU, they lost again to the Crimson Tide.
One step forward, two steps back.
This story was originally published January 26, 2021 at 11:01 PM.
