No. 5 Kentucky outlasted Alabama by grinding out a 66-55 win in a defensive struggle, just like we all predicted. The Wildcats’ win was its first in Tuscaloosa since 2017, snapping a two-game losing streak against the Crimson Tide.
In a battle between the SEC’s two top-scoring teams, defense reigned supreme. Alabama entered the game averaging 81.4 points per game, ranking seventh nationally. Kentucky zipped up Nate Oats’ squad, forcing 15 turnovers and holding them to just 3-of-30 from behind the three-point line. The Wildcats kept the clamps on the Crimson Tide all night and kept the Coleman Coliseum crowd out of the game.