It’s almost surreal seeing Alabama basketball look that much better than Kentucky, but that’s what Nate Oats has done. This one was no contest.
Mark Sears led the way offensively, but the story of this one was defense. The Tide completely frustrated reigning National POY Oscar Tshibwe, knocking the ball away from him several times, and were relentless for the entire game. As a result, a Kentucky team that came into the game ranked in the top 20 in offensive efficiency was held to a mere 52 points.
Offensively, the Tide managed to limit their own turnovers to nine while piling up nine steals.