Live updates: Kentucky Wildcats at Alabama Crimson Tide college basketball
Hoping to avenge a 102-97 loss to Alabama in Lexington on Jan. 18, Kentucky men’s basketball travels to Coleman Coliseum to face the Crimson Tide in the rematch on Saturday.
Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. on ESPN with Karl Ravech, Jimmy Dykes and Dick Vitale on the broadcast.
Ben Roberts, Ryan Hermens and yours truly are in Tuscaloosa to report on the action. Cameron Drummond and Mark Story are monitoring the telecast back in Lexington. You can follow Ben’s updates on Bluesky at @benrobertshl. You can follow the rest of us on X/Twitter at @markcstory, @ryanhermens, @cdrummond97 and @johnclayiv.
You can follow a dedicated Kentucky basketball X/Twitter list by clicking here.
Scouting report: Alabama
Alabama is 21-5 overall, including 10-2 in the SEC. The Crimson Tide are on a two-game losing streak having lost at home to Auburn 94-85 and on the road to Missouri 110-98. Coach Nate Oats’ club is No. 6 in KenPom’s adjusted overall efficiency rankings. The Tide is No. 3 in adjusted offensive efficiency and No. 48 in adjusted defensive efficiency. Bama leads the nation in adjusted tempo at 74.8 possessions per game. It is second nationally in 2-point shot percentage at 60.5%.
SEC preseason player of the year Mark Sears is coming off a 35-point performance at Missouri. Sears scored 24 points and was credited with nine assists in Alabama’s 102-97 win over Kentucky on Jan. 18 in Lexington. Grant Nelson scored 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in Bama’s win over the Cats. Alabama was 14-for-28 shooting from the floor, including 7-for-15 on 3-pointers in the second half.
Missouri shot 60.3% against the Tide in the win at Columbia on Wednesday. The Tigers made 26 of their 35 attempts from 2-point range for 74.3%. Their 1.387 points per possession were the most by an SEC team against the Crimson Tide, topping the 1.252 by Kentucky in that January matchup.
Scouting report: Kentucky
Kentucky is 18-8 overall, including 7-6 in the SEC. Coach Mark Pope’s Wildcats are coming off an 82-61 win over Vanderbilt at Rupp Arena. UK is 17th in KenPom’s adjusted overall efficiency rankings. The Cats are No. 5 in adjusted offensive efficiency and 69th in adjusted defensive efficiency. Two weeks ago, after a 98-84 loss at Ole Miss, Kentucky was ranked 112th in adjusted defensive efficiency. Over the last four games, UK’s opponents have shot a combined 40.3% from the foor.
Kentucky will again be without starting guards Lamont Butler and Jaxson Robinson. Butler has not played since reinjuring his shoulder Feb. 11 against Tennessee. Robinson has not played since reinjuring his wrist on Feb. 8 against South Carolina. Butler scored 17 points and dished eight assists in the first matchup with Alabama. Robinson scored 11 points.
UK’s Otega Oweh has scored in double figures in all 26 of UK’s games this season. Oweh has scored 20 or more points in eight games. He is 15-for-28 shooting from the floor in his last two games. Center Amari Williams was 6-for-6 from the floor and 5-for-5 from the foul line in UK’s win over Vanderbilt. The Cats shot 58% against the Commodores, the 12th game this season they have shot 50% or better.
Kentucky men’s basketball coverage
This story was originally published February 22, 2025 at 5:00 PM.
