TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Signs with the words "SOLD OUT," in all-caps, greeted those walking into Coleman Coliseum Saturday morning. With every chair in the 14,474-seat arena filled for Alabama's game against Kentucky men’s basketball, the home faithful were ready to explode.
The No. 7 Crimson Tide wasted no time giving them a reason to rise out of their seats with unhinged joy, winning the opening tipoff and immediately scoring on an alley-oop layup. Alabama scored eight points before Kentucky even got on the board and had an 11-2 advantage less than four minutes in.